Final answer:
Burning wood into charcoal is a chemical change, where new substances are formed due to the alteration of the molecular structure of wood through combustion.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asked involves identifying the type of change that occurs when wood is burned to form charcoal. The correct answer is that this is a chemical change. In a chemical change, the molecular structure of the substance is altered and new substances are formed as a result of breaking old bonds and forming new ones. When wood is burned, the combustion process involves a reaction with oxygen that produces charcoal alongside other substances like water vapor and carbon dioxide. This process is indicative of a chemical change because the original substances (the components of wood) are transformed into entirely different substances with distinct chemical compositions and properties.
Example of Chemical Changes
Other examples of chemical changes include the burning of gasoline, which produces carbon dioxide and water, and the souring of milk, which results from the transformation of lactose into lactic acid through the action of bacteria. These processes result in the creation of new chemical entities, signaling that chemical changes have taken place.