Question

Is a dark cloth faded by sunlight a physical or chemical change?

1) Physical change
2) Chemical change

Answer 1

A dark cloth faded by sunlight is an example of a chemical change, as the sunlight alters the chemical structure of the dye.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a dark cloth fades due to sunlight, the process is a chemical change. The color fading indicates that the chemical structure of the dye in the cloth is being altered by the sunlight's energy, typically ultraviolet light. In a chemical change, the substance's internal structure changes, as opposed to a physical change where its form can change but the structure does not.

For example, a broken mirror or melted candle wax are physical changes because they involve a change in form but not in chemical composition. In contrast, examples such as rust formation on an iron nail, burning of coal, or a fading cloth due to sunlight are chemical changes because they involve a change in the chemical makeup of the substances involved.