Question

Cumulative Exam Review. Which property of physical changes explains why matter is conserved in a physical change? a) The arrangements of particles do not change, and the bonds between atoms do not break. b) Mass, not energy, changes in a physical change. c) Energy and mass change in a physical change. d) The bonds between atoms do not break, it is only the arrangement that changes.

Answer 1

Matter is conserved in a physical change because the bonds between atoms do not break; it is only the arrangement that changes, in accordance with the law of conservation of mass.The correct option is: a) The arrangements of particles do not change, and the bonds between atoms do not break.

Step-by-step explanation:

The property of physical changes that explains why matter is conserved is that during a physical change, the bonds between atoms do not break; it is only the arrangement of particles that changes. This ensures that the mass, the number of atoms, and the number of molecules remain constant throughout the process. For example, when water boils, the water molecules themselves stay the same but their arrangement changes from liquid to gas. The integrity of the water molecule is maintained, meaning there is no change in the actual chemical composition, just a change in state.

This concept aligns with the law of conservation of mass, which states that matter is neither created nor destroyed in a physical change. Therefore, the correct answer to the Cumulative Exam Review question is option d) "The bonds between atoms do not break, it is only the arrangement that changes."The correct option is: a) The arrangements of particles do not change, and the bonds between atoms do not break.