Why is it difficult to classify dissolving as simply a physical or a chemical change?(1 point)

Some substances keep the same color when they dissolve, and others do not.
Some substances keep the same molecular structure when they break down, and others do not.
Some substances taste the same after they dissolve, and others do not.
Some substances release energy when they dissolve, and some absorb energy.

1 answer

The difficulty in classifying dissolving as simply a physical or a chemical change arises mainly from the fact that some substances keep the same molecular structure when they dissolve, and others do not. When a substance dissolves in a solvent, it may either remain in its molecular form (as in the case of sugar dissolving in water) or dissociate into ions (as in the case of sodium chloride). This variability makes it challenging to categorize the process uniformly as merely physical or chemical.