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Chapter 1: Problem 54

When a candle burns, the solid wax melts and burns. In the process, the wax is combined with oxygen from the atmosphere and converted into carbon dioxide and water vapor. Explain what is going on in terms of chemical change and physical change.

Short Answer

Expert verified
During the burning of a candle, a physical change occurs when solid wax melts into liquid wax due to heat provided by the flame. A chemical change occurs when the liquid wax reacts with oxygen in the presence of heat, undergoing combustion, resulting in the production of carbon dioxide and water vapor. The mass of the system is conserved, and energy is released in the form of heat and light.

Step by step solution

01

Identify the components taking part in the process

First, we need to identify the main components involved in the burning process of the candle: solid wax, heat, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor.
02

Physical change: Melting of the wax

As the candle burns, heat is provided by the flame. The heat causes the solid wax to melt, converting it from a solid state to a liquid state. This is a physical change since it only involves a change of state and does not create any new substances.
03

Chemical change: Wax reacts with oxygen

In the presence of heat, the melted wax reacts with the oxygen in the air surrounding the candle, undergoing a chemical reaction known as combustion. During this process, the wax molecules are transformed into carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapor (H2O). This is a chemical change because new substances (CO2 and H2O) are formed as a result of the reaction.
04

Conservation of mass

During the burning process, the mass of the system remains constant. The mass of the candle (wax) decreases as it is converted into CO2 and H2O. However, the mass of the products (CO2 and H2O) increases, and the total mass of the system (candle + surrounding atmosphere) remains conserved.
05

End products and energy release

At the end of the process, solid wax has been converted into CO2 and H2O via a chemical reaction. The reaction also releases energy in the form of heat and light. The heat released sustains the burning process, and the light provides illumination. To summarize, during the burning of a candle, a physical change occurs when solid wax melts into liquid wax, and a chemical change occurs when the liquid wax reacts with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water vapor.

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