Final answer:
The ability of a substance to change into something else refers to its chemical properties, which lead to chemical changes where new substances are formed with different properties. This is distinct from phase changes, which are physical processes involving states like solid, liquid, and gas.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ability of a substance to change into something else is fundamentally linked to its chemical properties. A chemical property defines a substance's potential to undergo chemical changes that result in the formation of new substances with different properties. These changes are known as chemical reactions. During a chemical reaction, one type of matter is transformed, through bond breaking and forming, into a different kind of matter, indicating a chemical change.
It is essential to differentiate between a chemical change and a phase change. A phase change is a physical process where a substance goes from one phase (solid, liquid, or gas) to another. This process usually occurs when heat is added or removed, such as at the melting point or boiling point of the substance. Meanwhile, a chemical change involves producing a different kind of matter from the original, which can significantly alter properties such as melting point, color, and taste.
An everyday example of a chemical property is the ability of iron to rust when exposed to oxygen and moisture, which is a chemical change. This change results in the formation of iron oxide, a different substance with its own distinct properties, compared to the original iron.