Question

Which of the following are correctly referred to as ""physical properties""? Select all the correct answers, this is a multiple response question.

a) zinc will react with hydrochloric acid to produce hydrogen gas
b) sucrose dissolves in water to form a solution
c) ethanol freezes at -114°C
d) hydrogen gas is highly flammable
e) carbon dioxide sublimes (solid → gas) at room temperature
f) propane can undergo combustion in the presence of oxygen gas

Answer 1

Option C and E: The ethanol freezing at -114°C and carbon dioxide subliming at room temperature are considered physical properties because they involve changes in state without any change to the chemical identity of the substances.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question concerns the identification of physical properties. Physical properties are attributes that can be observed or determined without altering the chemical composition of the material. Examples include boiling point, freezing point, density, and phase changes like sublimation. On the other hand, chemical properties involve the substance's ability to undergo a specific chemical change.

The correct answers identifying physical properties from the given options are:

• ethanol freezes at -114°C: This is a physical property because it describes the temperature at which ethanol changes from a liquid to a solid state, without altering the substance chemically.
• carbon dioxide sublimes (solid → gas) at room temperature: Sublimation is considered a physical property as it is a phase change from solid to gas that does not involve a chemical reaction.

The other options listed involve chemical changes and are therefore chemical properties, not physical properties.