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Step 1:I'll solve this problem step by step, following the specified formatting guidelines:
Step 2:: Understand the Nature of Wood Rotting
Wood rotting is a chemical change. This is because during the rotting process, the chemical composition of the wood is fundamentally altered through decomposition.
Step 3:: Explain the Chemical Transformation
During wood rotting, fungi and bacteria break down the complex organic molecules that make up wood, such as: - Cellulose - Hemicellulose - Lignin These microorganisms secrete enzymes that chemically decompose the wood's molecular structure, creating new chemical compounds.
Step 4:: Key Characteristics of a Chemical Change
Chemical changes are characterized by: - Formation of new substances - Irreversible transformation - Change in chemical composition - Often accompanied by energy changes Wood rotting meets all these criteria: - Original wood structure is destroyed - New compounds are formed (like carbon dioxide, water, and simpler organic molecules) - The change cannot be reversed to original wood
Final Answer
Wood rotting is a CHEMICAL change, not a physical change, because it involves the fundamental chemical breakdown of wood's molecular structure through decomposition by microorganisms.
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