why are burning candles and rusting nails examples of chemical change
2006-09-20 11:42:17 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
Burning candles and the rusting of nails are examples of a chemical change due to the fact that there is a chemical reaction occurring during the process.
When a candle burns, the wax and wick of the candle are undergoing combustion and (ideally) be changed into Carbon Dioxide and water....two completely new substances than the original.
When [Iron] nails rust, the Iron is being oxidized into a new substance, Iron Oxide.
When a chemical change occurs, on the atomic level, the atoms/molecules have been rearranged and/or combined with other atoms/molecules to form a new substance.
A chemical change is different from a physical change in that in a physical change, the substance is the same (chemically speaking) after the process is over.
An example of a physical change is the boiling of water...both before and after the process occurs, even though the water has changed states of matter, it is still water, still H2O.
2006-09-20 11:47:07 · answer #1 · answered by mrjeffy321 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
They are examples of a chemical change, because when you burn a candle the wick doesn't stay a wick it turns into ash/smoke. For the rust, it used to be metal, but with the chemical change its now rusted. You see, they aren't physical changes, they are chemical, because they become new substances.
2006-09-20 11:45:50 · answer #2 · answered by PeachyFixation 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because with burning candles the wax of the candle undergoes combustion and change to carbon dioxide and water. When iron nails rust the iron is oxidized into oxide.
2015-10-27 07:30:03 · answer #3 · answered by Kiersten Ayoub 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a rusting nail is a chemical change because it is still a nail , i think a burning candle would be a physical change.
2006-09-20 11:47:46 · answer #4 · answered by glad_2beme 1 · 0⤊ 3⤋
If you are ever wondering if something has undergone a chemical change, just ask yourself : What can I do to return this to its original state? If you can't do anything, its a chemical change. You can't do anything to a burned candle to make it full again. You can't do anything to a rusty nail to return it to its original state.
Therefore, both are chemical reactions.
Best answer?
2006-09-20 13:08:14 · answer #5 · answered by Brendan R 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
burning candles is rapid oxydation, rust is slow oxidation, changing chemical composition with oxygen..
2006-09-20 11:45:24 · answer #6 · answered by michael o 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
nails are metal.. when they get rusty, that means they've been oxydized.. so there's oxygen elements in the metal.. thats why it's a chemical change
2006-09-20 11:46:07 · answer #7 · answered by hakunamatata 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
In candles, the wax turns to gas...
In nails the iron oxidizes, creating iron oxide.
2006-09-20 12:31:49 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
cause it just is
2006-09-20 11:49:38 · answer #9 · answered by Lil' Ivan 2 · 2⤊ 2⤋