..as opposed to just something physical that happens without a reaction taking place..
2006-09-12 13:28:46 · 10 answers · asked by kastout9 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
If something dissolves in water, the water molecules' polar forces are pulling it apart; it sounds like a chemical reaction to me.
update: it looks like the rules are...
# Physical Reaction: The matter stays the same, but change in size, shape, or appearance.
# Chemical Reaction: The matter changes to a different kind of matter, or change in color.
I'm going to say "no", a solid dissolving in water is not a chemical reaction, because it doesn't change to something different. If you put something in water, and it dissolved while letting off some gases, for instance, maybe I would call that a chemical reaction; because something had changed. But, since there's nothing proving it didn't do anything more than fall apart, I guess it's a physical reaction.
2006-09-12 13:35:13 · answer #1 · answered by Paul 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Dissolving a solid in a water isn't really considered a chemical reaction. I think its just physical because you could still devide the liquid from the soid. Take sand for example. You could mix it with water, but that wouldnt be a chemical reaction cuz you could take the sand from the water so it really didnt change anything. I hope im right :-D
2006-09-12 20:40:46 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. But in many solids, you cannot dissolve in water, instead it will react with water. But if you limit to just those that will dissolve and not react, then no, that is not a chemical reaction. It is a physical reaction. Good question! Makes you think.
2006-09-13 01:13:24 · answer #3 · answered by MrZ 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No; Solvation of a solid simply results in particles being 'suspended' in a liquid solution. However, if you have an ionic salt, such as NaCl (sodium chloride, or table salt) then the ionic salt will dissociate into two ions, Na+ and Cl-. This, however, is not a chemical reaction but rather a physical process of dissociation.
2006-09-13 00:27:20 · answer #4 · answered by trolling_on_dubs 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dissolving something in water is a physical reaction. You can gaet the material back by evaporating the water.Sometimes the reaction is exothermic.
2006-09-12 20:51:26 · answer #5 · answered by science teacher 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It isn't necessarily a chemical reaction - salt dissolves in water, but if the water evaporates, the salt is still there.
2006-09-12 20:31:44 · answer #6 · answered by JBarleycorn 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ordinarily, no. Exception: dissolving something like calcium oxide, which actually reacts with the water to form calcium hydroxide.
2006-09-12 20:31:25 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, but would depend on the type of solid.
2006-09-12 20:34:54 · answer #8 · answered by MSC 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, it is a physical change.
2006-09-12 20:43:28 · answer #9 · answered by jsn77raider 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes it is
2006-09-12 20:57:37 · answer #10 · answered by Krissi 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋