Question

When a piece of wood is set on fire, what is happening?

A) The wood is undergoing a physical change.
B) The wood is undergoing a chemical reaction.
C) The wood is reacting with oxygen to produce heat and light.
D) The wood is transforming into ash and smoke.

Answer 1

Setting wood on fire results in a chemical reaction where wood combines with oxygen, producing new substances such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, and ash while releasing heat and light.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a piece of wood is set on fire, it is undergoing a chemical reaction. This process combines the wood with oxygen, producing heat and light as well as new substances such as ash, carbon dioxide, and water vapor. The mass of the matter after the fire is the same as before the fire, as per the Law of Conservation of Mass, even though the wood has transformed into different materials. This transformation is an example of a chemical change because the chemical composition of the wood changes, and new substances with different properties are formed.