Final answer:
Frying an egg is a chemical change because it causes the proteins in the egg to restructure into new substances with different properties, which cannot be reversed, unlike physical changes where the substance’s composition remains the same.
Step-by-step explanation:
Frying an egg is an example of a chemical change because it involves heating the egg to a temperature where chemical reactions occur, altering the structure of the molecules in the egg. The proteins in the egg whites and yolk change their form, creating new substances that have different properties from the raw egg. Unlike physical changes, which can typically be reversed, the process of frying an egg cannot be undone, making it a clear example of a chemical change.
Other examples of chemical changes include the burning of gasoline in an engine, where the gasoline combusts to form water and carbon dioxide and the process of digestion, where food is chemically reacted in the stomach to be absorbed by the body.
In contrast, a physical change affects only the form of a substance, not its chemical composition; like melting ice, which remains water (H2O) before and after the change.