A scientist bends wires made of different metals to check their flexibility. Which of the following best justifies the type of change taking place?

Physical change because shape is a physical property.
Chemical change because shape is a physical property.
Physical change because flexibility is a chemical property.
Chemical change because flexibility is a chemical property.

Well, it sounds like the scientist is just bending wires, not performing any chemical reactions. So, I would go with option A: "Physical change because shape is a physical property." I guess those wires are just getting all bent out of shape without any chemical drama!

The correct answer is: Physical change because shape is a physical property.

Justification: The act of bending wires made of different metals is a physical change because it does not involve any chemical reactions or formation of new substances. The change in shape is solely due to the physical property of flexibility, which is the ability to bend or deform without breaking.

The best justification for the type of change taking place when a scientist bends wires made of different metals is:

Physical change because shape is a physical property.

Explanation:
When the scientist bends the wires, they are manipulating the shape of the wires. Shape is a physical property because it can be changed without affecting the chemical composition of the substance. In the case of bending metal wires, the atoms or molecules that make up the metals are not being rearranged or chemically altered. The wires may undergo a physical deformation, but the chemical identity of the metal remains the same. Therefore, it is a physical change.

A.

You know a physical change has taken place when the composition of the wire, upon bending, did not change. That is, a copper wire bent is still copper. Heating a copper wire, cooling a copper wire, bending a copper wire, stretching a copper wire etc etc. All of these are physical changes for the copper wire started out as copper and it is still copper.
You know a chemical change takes place when the composition of the material changes.