2026 Dual Enrollment Physical Science Midterm Practice Test – Comprehensive Exam Prep

Phase change is a change in the state of matter (solid, liquid, gas) without changing the substance’s identity, so it’s a physical change, not a chemical one. Odor change and color change happen when new substances with different smells or colors are formed during a reaction, signaling a chemical transformation. Energy change, such as heat release or absorption, commonly accompanies chemical reactions as bonds break and form. Since phase changes don’t involve making or breaking chemical bonds, they don’t count as chemical changes.