What is an example of a physical change?

The melting of ice is an example of a physical change because it involves a transition from one physical state to another without altering the chemical composition of the substance. In this case, ice (solid water) turns into liquid water when heat is applied. The process is reversible: if the temperature drops again, the water can freeze back into ice, maintaining its chemical identity as H2O throughout the transformation.

Physical changes typically involve changes in shape, size, state, or form, and they can often be reversed, which is characteristic of melting. This distinguishes physical changes from chemical changes, which involve a transformation that alters the chemical structure of a substance, resulting in new substances being formed.