Which of the following best describes the process of baking a cake?

• A. It is a physical change because the cake can be separated back into its original ingredients.
• B. It is a physical change because the ingredients are only mixed.
• C. It is a chemical change because new substances are formed.
• D. It is neither a physical nor a chemical change.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the difference between physical and chemical changes: A physical change affects the form of a substance but not its chemical composition, while a chemical change results in the formation of new substances with different properties.
2. Consider the process of baking a cake: During baking, heat causes chemical reactions such as the Maillard reaction and the denaturation of proteins, which change the ingredients into a new substance (the cake).
3. Evaluate the options: Since baking produces new substances and the cake cannot be separated back into the original ingredients by physical means, it is not a physical change.
4. Recognize that the formation of new substances and irreversible changes indicate a chemical change.
5. Conclude that the best description is that baking a cake is a chemical change because new substances are formed.