What type of change is involved in the cremation of a body?

The cremation of a body involves a chemical change. This process entails the conversion of organic materials into gases and ashes through intense heat, which chemically alters the physical structure of the body.

During cremation, various chemical reactions occur as proteins, fats, and carbohydrates undergo combustion. The high temperatures reduce the body to bone fragments and cremains, significantly altering the chemical composition of the materials involved. The process is irreversible, characteristic of a chemical change where new substances are formed.

In contrast, a physical change would entail transformations that do not alter the chemical composition, such as changes in state or form that can be reversed. Biological change would relate to the decomposition processes prior to cremation, which involve biological activity and enzymatic reactions. Thermal change, while relevant due to the heat involved, does not comprehensively describe the nature of the transformation occurring during cremation, as it emphasizes temperature without addressing the chemical alterations that take place.