What happens when you mix vinegar and baking soda?

Fizzy bubbles appear! The gas is carbon dioxide (CO₂) — this is a chemical change.

Is dissolving sugar in water a chemical or physical change?

Physical change — the sugar is still sugar, just dissolved. You can get it back by evaporating the water.

Pro 🔒~10 min

Chemical Changes

Observe signs of chemical reactions: color, gas, temperature, and precipitate

How it works

A chemical change creates new substances with different properties. Signs include: color change, gas production (bubbles), temperature change (hot or cold), precipitate formation, and light/sound emission. Unlike physical changes (cutting, melting, dissolving), chemical changes are usually difficult to reverse. Examples: baking soda + vinegar produces carbon dioxide gas; iron + oxygen produces rust.

Upgrade to Pro to access this experiment

Step-by-step

Choose two substances and press Mix!
Watch for signs of chemical changes.
The indicator panel shows which signs appear.
Try different combinations to find which ones are chemical changes and which are just physical mixing.

Key formulas

$\text{Reactants} \rightarrow \text{Products}$ In a chemical change, starting substances transform into new substances

Frequently asked questions

What happens when you mix vinegar and baking soda?: Fizzy bubbles appear! The gas is carbon dioxide (CO₂) — this is a chemical change.
Is dissolving sugar in water a chemical or physical change?: Physical change — the sugar is still sugar, just dissolved. You can get it back by evaporating the water.