Educational worksheet for students to learn and practice distinguishing between physical and chemical properties and changes.

VOCABULARY WORD DEFINITION
Physical Property Property that can be observed or measured without changing the substance’s identity
Physical Change Change in which the identity of the substance does NOT change
Chemical Property Ability of a substance to undergo a specific chemical change
Chemical Change Change in which the identity of the substance DOES change

Part One: Physical or Chemical Property?

Chemical Property: Definition
Flammability • The ability to burn
Reactivity with vinegar • Reacts with oxygen to produce rust
Reactivity with oxygen • Reacts with vinegar (e.g., produces gas or changes color)

Physical Property: Definition
Transparency • The property of letting light pass through something
Melting point • Temperature at which a solid becomes a liquid
Density • Mass per unit volume
Boiling point • Temperature at which a liquid becomes a gas
Elasticity • Ability to return to original shape after being stretched or compressed
Ductility • Ability to be drawn into thin wires
Brittleness • Tendency to break or shatter under stress
Ability to rust • Not a property — this is a result of a chemical change; correct term is “reactivity with oxygen”

Part Two: Physical or Chemical Change?

1. P glass breaking
2. P hammering wood together
3. C a rusting bicycle
4. P melting butter
5. P separate sand from gravel
6. C bleaching your hair
7. C frying an egg
8. C squeeze oranges for juice
9. P melting ice
10. P mixing salt and water
11. P mixing oil and water
12. P water evaporating
13. P cutting grass
14. C burning leaves
15. C fireworks exploding
16. P cutting your hair
17. C crushing a can
18. P boiling water