A student places a piece of copper wire into a solution. After several minutes, the wire turns green, and bubbles form in the solution. What is most likely happening?

Question

A. The copper underwent a physical change.
B. The copper underwent a chemical change in the solution.
C. The solution caused a physical change in the copper.
D. The bubbles indicate a physical change only.

Answer 1

The most likely answer is B. The copper underwent a chemical change in the solution.

This is supported by the observation that the wire turns green, which suggests that the copper is reacting with substances in the solution—potentially forming copper salts or oxides. Additionally, the formation of bubbles indicates that a gas is being produced, which is typically a sign of a chemical reaction occurring.