What happens during a chemical change?

During a chemical change, new substances are formed as the result of a chemical reaction. This process involves breaking the bonds of the reactant molecules and forming new bonds to create products that have different properties from the original substances. For example, when iron rusts, it reacts with oxygen to form iron oxide, which is entirely different from metallic iron and oxygen gas.

The formation of new substances is a key characteristic that distinguishes chemical changes from physical changes, where the composition of the material does not change. In the case of new substances, the resulting products can have different chemical properties, states of matter, colors, and energy levels compared to the reactants. Thus, the recognition of this transformation is fundamental in understanding chemical processes and reactions.