The statement "Dissolving salt in water is an example of a physical change because it does not change the identity of the solution" is correct. Here's why:
1. When salt (sodium chloride) dissolves in water, it breaks apart into its ions, sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl-), but the chemical composition of salt remains the same. This means that even though the salt is no longer visible in the solution, the salt molecules are still present; they have just separated into individual ions within the water.
2. A physical change involves a change in the physical state or appearance of a substance without changing its chemical composition. In the case of dissolving salt in water, the salt molecules remain the same (sodium chloride) before and after dissolving. The only change is the dispersion of the salt molecules throughout the water.
3. Unlike a chemical change where new substances are formed with different chemical properties, in the case of dissolving salt in water, no new substances are created. The salt and water can be separated through physical means like evaporation, showing that the identity of the substances has not changed.
Therefore, the dissolution of salt in water is considered a physical change because it only affects the physical state and distribution of the salt without altering its chemical composition or identity.
