Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

peanut butter can not be turned back in to peanuts so how is it a physical change?

.IF Chemical changes occur when a new substance was created, and the changes can't be reversed... then why is Peanut butter a physical change? It can't be changed back into a peanut! Yet, an egg...cooked..bc of the change in proteins etc, is a chemical change. It can't be changed back into a raw egg. ??

Hello Mandyg,

Are you doing a science project that involves peanut butter? This forum is for students in grades K-12 who are doing science projects. The experts here will be happy to help you with the project. Please tell us more about your experiment including your hypotheses and the design of your experiment. If this is not a science project, there are other forums on the internet where you can discuss physical and chemical changes. Thank you.

Peanut butter has the same chemical composition as peanuts themselves, so the change from peanuts to peanut butter is only a physical change. A chemical change requires the creation of a new substance, such as iron rusting or food cooking, in which the chemical composition is changed through heating.