
Changes Around Us Class 7 explains the different changes we observe in substances and objects in everyday life. The chapter focuses mainly on physical and chemical changes, along with examples of reversible and irreversible changes.
These Class 7 Science Changes Around Us notes help students understand the difference between these types of changes and revise important examples such as melting, rusting, burning and curd formation
A Class 7 science changes around us notes PDF is useful because it keeps the main definitions, examples, and chapter points together in one place. It is especially helpful before a class test, while doing homework, or during final revision when students want short study material instead of long textbook explanations.
Changes happen around us all the time. Some changes affect only the shape, size or state of a substance, while others result in the formation of a new substance.
A physical change is a change in which the physical properties of a substance, such as its shape, size or state, change without forming a new substance.
Examples:
Melting of ice
Melting of wax
Cutting paper
Folding paper
Dissolving sugar in water
A chemical change is a change in which one or more new substances are formed.
Examples:
Rusting of iron
Burning of wood
Curd formation from milk
Cooking food
Burning a candle
|
Physical Change |
Chemical Change |
|
No new substance is formed |
A new substance is formed |
|
Physical properties may change |
Chemical composition changes |
|
Example: melting ice |
Example: rusting iron |
|
Often easier to reverse |
Usually difficult to reverse |
Changes can also be described according to whether the original state can be obtained again.
A reversible change is a change that can be reversed under suitable conditions so that the original state can be obtained again.
Examples:
Melting and freezing of ice
Stretching a rubber band
Folding a piece of paper
An irreversible change is a change that cannot easily be changed back to its original state.
Examples:
Burning paper
Cooking food
Rusting of iron
Curd formation from milk
A physical change can sometimes be reversible or irreversible. Similarly, chemical changes are generally difficult to reverse because new substances are formed. Therefore, physical/chemical and reversible/irreversible describe changes from two different perspectives.
The following examples make the classifications easier to remember:
|
Change |
Type |
Why? |
|
Melting of ice |
Physical |
No new substance is formed |
|
Freezing of water |
Physical |
The state changes from liquid to solid |
|
Cutting paper |
Physical |
Only size and shape change |
|
Rusting of iron |
Chemical |
A new substance, rust, forms |
|
Burning wood |
Chemical |
New substances are produced |
|
Curd formation |
Chemical |
Milk changes into curd with new properties |
|
Stretching a rubber band |
Physical |
Its shape changes |
|
Cooking food |
Chemical |
New substances are formed |
Changes take place continuously around us.
A physical change does not result in the formation of a new substance.
A chemical change results in the formation of one or more new substances.
Melting, freezing and cutting are examples of physical changes.
Rusting, burning and curd formation are examples of chemical changes.
A reversible change can be undone under suitable conditions.
An irreversible change cannot easily be changed back to its original state.
Physical and chemical changes should not be confused with reversible and irreversible changes.
Observing the properties of a substance before and after a change helps us understand what has happened.
Read More: CBSE Class 7 Climate of India Notes 2026-27
For quick revision, students can remember the chapter using these two questions:
1. Is a new substance formed?
If no new substance is formed, the change is generally a physical change. If a new substance is formed, it is a chemical change.
2. Can the change be reversed?
If the original state can be obtained again under suitable conditions, it is a reversible change. If it cannot easily be reversed, it is an irreversible change.
This simple approach helps students classify common examples without memorising every example separately.
The following examples can help students revise the concept of chemical change:
Rusting of iron
Burning of wood
Burning of paper
Cooking rice
Cooking vegetables
Curd formation from milk
Baking a cake
Digestion of food
Ripening of fruit
Souring of milk
Burning a candle
Formation of compost
Tarnishing of silver
Fermentation of food
Burning of petrol
Burning of coal
Photosynthesis
Respiration
Decay of leaves
Reaction between suitable substances that produces a new substance
Read More: NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Geography Chapter 1
Students can revise the chapter in this order:
Understand physical change, chemical change, reversible change and irreversible change.
Remember the main question for physical and chemical changes: Is a new substance formed?
Classify everyday examples such as melting ice, rusting iron, burning paper and curd formation.
Make a small table of examples and identify whether each change is physical or chemical and whether it can be reversed.
Use the short points and examples to recall the chapter instead of reading the entire explanation again.
