Dissolving is best described as which of the following?

• A. A chemical change, because new substances are formed.
• B. An irreversible process, because the solute cannot be recovered.
• C. A nuclear change, because atoms are rearranged.
• D. A physical change, because the chemical identity of the solute remains unchanged.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the definition of dissolving: it is the process where a solute disperses uniformly within a solvent, forming a solution without changing the chemical identity of the solute.
2. Recall that a chemical change involves the formation of new substances with different chemical properties, which does not happen during dissolving.
3. Recognize that dissolving is reversible because the solute can often be recovered by physical means such as evaporation or crystallization.
4. Note that a nuclear change involves changes in the nucleus of atoms, which is unrelated to the dissolving process.
5. Conclude that dissolving is best described as a physical change because the solute's chemical identity remains unchanged and the process is reversible.