Is milk going sour a chemical or physical change?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking whether the process of milk going sour is a chemical change or a physical change, which involves understanding the definitions and characteristics of each type of change.
Answer
a chemical change
The final answer is a chemical change
Answer for screen readers
The final answer is a chemical change
More Information
The souring of milk is considered a chemical change because it results in the formation of new substances, mainly lactic acid, through bacterial activity that metabolizes lactose into lactic acid.
Tips
A common mistake is to assume that because the physical appearance of milk changes, the process is merely physical. However, the formation of new substances is what defines it as a chemical change.