Which of the following could be a physical change involving water?

The transition of ice to liquid water exemplifies a physical change because it involves a change in the state of matter without altering the chemical composition of the substance. When ice melts, it maintains its identity as water; only the arrangement of the molecules changes, transitioning from a solid state to a liquid state. This type of change can be reversed, as the liquid water can freeze back into ice, demonstrating the characteristic features of physical changes, which involve alterations in form or state but not in chemical identity.

In contrast, when substances interact in ways that result in the formation of new compounds or the alteration of their chemical structures, this would not be classified as a physical change. For example, the dissolution of salt in water, evaporation, and rusting of metal all involve chemical processes that change the identity of the substances involved, rather than simply a change in physical form.