Questions: Do the following statements describe a chemical or physical change?
The helium gas inside a balloon tends to leak out after a few hours.
chemical
physical
neither
Transcript text: Do the following statements describe a chemical or physical change?
The helium gas inside a balloon tends to leak out after a few hours.
chemical
physical
neither
Solution
Solution Steps
Step 1: Understanding the Nature of the Change
To determine whether the statement describes a chemical or physical change, we need to understand the characteristics of each type of change:
Chemical Change: Involves a change in the chemical composition of a substance. New substances are formed, and the process is usually irreversible without another chemical reaction.
Physical Change: Involves a change in the physical properties of a substance without altering its chemical composition. Examples include changes in state, shape, or size.
Step 2: Analyzing the Statement
The statement is: "The helium gas inside a balloon tends to leak out after a few hours."
Helium Gas Leaking: This process involves the movement of helium atoms from inside the balloon to the outside environment. The chemical composition of helium remains unchanged during this process.
Step 3: Classifying the Change
Since the helium gas retains its chemical identity and no new substances are formed, the process of helium leaking out of a balloon is a physical change.