Is cutting grass of physical or chemical change
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Cutting grass is a physical change.
Explanation:
A physical change is one in which the substance involved undergoes a transformation that does not alter its chemical composition. In this case, when you cut grass, you are only changing its size and shape. The grass is still made up of the same molecules (cellulose, chlorophyll, and other organic compounds), and the process does not involve any alteration to the internal structure of those molecules. No new substance is formed, and the grass retains all of its chemical properties, including its color, texture, and ability to carry out photosynthesis if it is still attached to the root system and exposed to sunlight.
Why it’s not a chemical change:
In a chemical change, the substance’s chemical structure is altered, leading to the formation of new substances. This could involve reactions such as burning, rusting, or digestion, where new compounds are created, and the original substance ceases to exist in its initial form. In the case of cutting grass, no chemical bonds are broken or formed, and no new substances are produced. The grass, though altered in appearance, remains fundamentally the same as before it was cut.
Further insight:
If you were to let the cut grass dry out and decay, then chemical changes would occur as microorganisms break it down. But the act of cutting the grass itself is purely physical because it doesn’t change the grass’s molecular structure or composition.
Thus, the act of cutting grass falls squarely into the category of a physical change.
