What is the difference between a chemical process and a physical process in chemistry?
Hello,
Hope you are doing well.
Difference between Chemical and Physical process is as such:
- In Physical Processes, composition remains same whereas in Chemical Processes composition changes.
- Physical processes are reversible and temporary while Chemical processes are irreversible and permanent.
- In physical processes no new substance is formed, whereas in Chemical process new substances may be formed.
- A physical processes involves very little to no absorption of energy whereas during a chemical reaction, absorption and evolution of energy take place.
- Physical processes do not involve the production of energy while during Chemical process production of energy in the form of light, heat or sound is formed.
Example of Physical process- freezing of water, melting of wax, boiling of water, etc.
Example of Chemical process- digestion of food, burning of coal, rusting, etc.
Hope this helps you. All the best!
There is no real difference between a chemical process and a physical process in chemistry. Some chemistry teachers like to define a chemical process as any process that involves a chemical reaction and all other processes as physical processes. According to such teachers, things like burning fuels are chemical processes and things like dissolving salt in water or freezing water into ice are physical processes. But this distinction is really arbitrary and non-fundamental. While such teachers may make such a distinction with the good intention of teaching their students, they are really setting up the students to be confused in the long term.
