Examples of Chemical Changes in Everyday Life

This article's gonna be damn interesting to students who genuinely love chemistry. First, let me explain a little about the nature and types of chemical changes. The world of chemistry is build up of matter, its orientation and behavior. This forms the basis for the chemical changes taking place around you every now and then. The good old saying 'chemistry is mystery' is actually true, because the diverse range of changes undergone by matter and elements, baffle us to the core. And then the fun begins. Assumptions, reasoning, formulas, theories, observations and results, all orbiting our mind to find out the exact cause behind the phenomenon. In this article, I shall cite some common examples of such chemical changes.

The different types of chemical changes taking place make chemistry in everyday life. The changes taking place around us are broadly classified according to their nature and effect on environment. They are:

• Synthesis Reaction
• Decomposition Reaction
• Double Displacement Reaction
• Neutralization Reaction
• Precipitation Reaction
• Combustion Reaction
• Redox Reaction

Physical and chemical changes are entirely different from each other. Physical changes refer to the external changes that take place in a matter while changes in the atomic structure and orientation to bring about the physical changes defines a chemical change. Chemical changes are usually permanent and they cannot be reversed to the original form. The process indulge change in the chemistry of the atom and the following examples of chemical changes in matter will make your concept clear.

Examples of Chemical Changes in Everyday Life

Mentioned below are some of the most common examples of chemical changes taking place everyday around you. It's interesting to know about them and find out chemistry behind it. Knowing the chemical properties of elements will also help you understand the changes better.

• We cite the combustion process of methane gas to produce carbon dioxide and water as an example of chemical change. Methane gas when burns in the presence of oxygen produces these two chemical elements as products. Thus, the energy produced during the chemical change makes methane one of the most widely used fuels.

• The decomposition process of dead organic and inorganic matter is an example of chemical change. You might have seen that the organic waste or dead animals undergo gradual degradation and they finally mix with the soil. The chemical reactions that assist the process result in producing sharp odor, which is an evidence of the chemical change.

• One of the best example of day-to-day chemical change is the process of photosynthesis. This is a process by which plants synthesize food and release oxygen as the by-product. A series of chemical reactions takes place inside the body of the aerobic plants and microorganisms during photosynthesis.

• The most common example of chemical change is cooking. We prepare food with heat. When we heat food, orientation of the atoms change. The enzymes, proteins, carbohydrates, fats and other nutrients contained in raw food change when heated. This irreversible change forms a very good example of chemical change.

• The process of rusting is also an example of chemical change. We see that when iron is exposed to water and oxygen, it gets coated with a brown layer. This takes place when iron reacts with atmospheric oxygen in the presence of water to form different oxides of iron, having the typical brownish red color, called rust.

• Natural ripening of fruits is also an example of chemical change. Gradually, they rot and produce odor. This takes place when the enzymes start degrading the biological substances contained in the fruits. The process is further accentuated by carbides and ethylene gas. So, next time you observe fruits ripening, try to find out the chemistry associated with it.

• One of the most complex chemical change is cracking of hydrocarbons. In this process, the organic molecules like heavy hydrocarbons are broken down into simpler ones (breaking the chemical bond) in the presence of high energy and light. Pyrolysis of alkane to produce alkenes and ethylene dichloride to produce PVC are good examples of chemical changes.

I'm sure the examples of chemical changes written in the aforementioned content, have clarified what a chemical change actually is. The indications of successful occurrence of the reaction are change in temperature, form, shape and structure, production of heat, light, sound and odor, formation of gases and precipitate. Analyze them clearly to draw the correct inference. Isn't chemistry interesting? I assume, YES!