Which statement correctly describes chemical properties?

• A. They can only be observed by changing the composition of the object
• B. They describe the color and texture
• C. They involve a physical change
• D. They can only be observed by changing the composition of the object

Answer: (D)

Chemical properties describe how a substance behaves during chemical reactions, which involve a change in composition. You observe these properties when the material undergoes a transformation that creates new substances, such as flammability, reactivity with acids, or the tendency to rust. Because they reveal how the substance can change its identity, detecting chemical properties relies on observing processes that alter what the material is made of.

In contrast, color and texture, melting point, density, and other such traits are physical properties that can be observed without changing the substance’s composition. They describe the current state of the material rather than its potential to transform. And since chemical properties are about how a substance behaves in reactions that make new substances, they are not about physical changes alone.