physical change
Form shifts, not composition
A physical change alters a substance's form or appearance without changing its chemical composition.
Ice melting into water, paper being torn, or salt dissolving are physical changes—the molecules remain the same even as properties like shape, size, or state shift.
Physical changes are typically reversible, unlike chemical changes that create new substances.
Solid-to-liquid transition
- freezingExtremely cold
- evaporationLiquid turning to gas
- condensationVapor turning to liquid
- sublimationSolid to gas directly
deposition · solidification · liquefaction · vaporization · thawing · crystallization · boiling · cooling
Overwhelming in intensity
- grindingMolar action sometimes
- cuttingDividing via sharp edge
- bendingCurving from straight
- stretchingExtending muscles or material
tearing · shredding · pulverizing · folding · compressing · shaping · molding · extrusion
Breaking violently apart
- breakingComing apart suddenly
- crackingBreaking without separating completely
- splinteringBreaking into sharp fragments
- fracturingProcess of breaking
chipping · crumbling · disintegration · spalling · splitting · snapping · rupturing · cleaving
Twisting from original state
- warpingBecoming bent or twisted
- dentingCreating surface indentations
- bucklingBending from compression
- crumplingCrushing into folds
sagging · swelling · shrinking · expansion · contraction · elongation · compression · bulging
Heat-softening of metals
- temperingControlled heating and cooling
- quenchingRapid cooling process
- hardeningBecoming less soft
- softeningBecoming less firm
heat treatment · sintering · calcination · thermal expansion · stress relief · normalizing · case hardening
melting
Solid-to-liquid transition
- freezingExtremely cold
- evaporationLiquid turning to gas
- condensationVapor turning to liquid
sublimation · deposition · solidification · liquefaction · vaporization · thawing · crystallization · boiling · cooling · heating
crushing
Overwhelming in intensity
stretching · tearing · shredding · pulverizing · folding · compressing · shaping · molding · extrusion · rolling
shattering
Breaking violently apart
- breakingComing apart suddenly
- crackingBreaking without separating completely
- splinteringBreaking into sharp fragments
fracturing · chipping · crumbling · disintegration · spalling · splitting · snapping · rupturing · cleaving · flaking
distortion
Twisting from original state
crumpling · sagging · swelling · shrinking · expansion · contraction · elongation · compression · bulging · flattening
annealing
Heat-softening of metals
softening · heat treatment · sintering · calcination · thermal expansion · stress relief · normalizing · case hardening
- transformationstransform, transforms, transformation, metamorphosis, morph
- adaptationsfilm adaptation, film adaptations, movie adaptation, TV adaptation, TV adaptations
physical changechemical change
Transformation producing new substances
chemical reaction · nuclear reaction · combustion · oxidation · radioactive decay
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