Question

select the correct answer
in an experiment, lydia added 50 grams of sugar to 200 milliliters of water. she stirred the mixture, and the sugar eventually dissolved into the water and couldnt be seen. the volume of the solution increased, but there was no noticeable change in color, odor, or temperature. which statement best describes what happened in lydia’s experiment?
○ a. a physical change took place during this experiment.
○ b. a chemical change took place during this experiment.
○ c. a compound was formed during this experiment.
○ d. a heterogeneous mixture was formed during this experiment.

Explanation:

To determine the correct answer, we analyze each option:

• Option A: A physical change occurs when the substance's state or appearance changes, but its chemical identity remains the same. Dissolving sugar in water is a physical change (dissolution) because sugar can be recovered by evaporation, and no new substance is formed. The solution's properties (color, odor, temp) don't change chemically.
• Option B: A chemical change involves the formation of a new substance with different chemical properties. Since no new substance is formed here (sugar and water retain their chemical identities), this is incorrect.
• Option C: A compound is a substance with a fixed chemical formula formed by chemical bonding. Here, sugar and water are mixed, not chemically bonded to form a new compound, so this is incorrect.
• Option D: A heterogeneous mixture has visible different phases, but the sugar dissolved, forming a homogeneous solution (uniform throughout), so this is incorrect.

Answer:

A. A physical change took place during this experiment.