Chemical Change Affected by Heat (600-700)_03

Chemical changes are very common in your daily life. You just need to know where to look. Remember that campfire on your last camping trip? You started with twigs and logs, and by the next morning, all that was left was ashes. The heat from the fire caused the chemical change to occur.

Heat speeds up chemical changes, which is why you place certain foods in the refrigerator. For example, fresh lettuce should be green and crunchy, but over time, the lettuce will turn brown and soft and will not look or taste as good. If it is not kept cool, it will decay more quickly.

Some people don’t throw their old decayed food in the garbage. Instead, they place it in their compost pile.  A compost pile is a mound of decaying plant material. The pile of decaying material creates heat. The heat speeds up the decaying process.

Over time, the material changes form. It starts to look more like soil than old plants. It is then used for fertilizer in the garden.

There sure are a lot of chemical changes, but out of all of them, making cookies is your favorite. Mix up some dough and add that magic ingredient, heat. That change in taste and smell makes them just right.