Properties of Matter

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Matter Noun

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[mat-er]

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Matter

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Anything that has mass and takes up space, which is also known as having volume.

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Example: This diagram shows that matter exists in different states—solid (ice), liquid (water), and gas (steam)—by showing how particles are arranged in each.

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Physical Property Noun

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[fiz-i-kuhl prop-er-tee]

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Physical Property

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A characteristic of a substance that can be observed or measured without changing the substance's chemical identity.

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Example: This diagram shows that water can change from a solid (ice) to a liquid and back again. This change of state is an example of a physical property.

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Chemical Property Noun

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[kem-i-kuhl prop-er-tee]

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Chemical Property

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A characteristic that describes a substance's ability to undergo changes that transform it into different substances.

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Example: When iron powder reacts with acid, it creates gas bubbles, showing its chemical property of reactivity and that a new substance is formed.

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Intensive Physical Property Noun

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[in-ten-siv fiz-i-kuhl prop-er-tee]

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Intensive Physical Property

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A physical property of a system that does not depend on the amount of the substance present.

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Example: The image shows water's specific melting point (0°C) and boiling point (100°C). These are intensive properties because they don't depend on the amount of water.

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Extensive Physical Property Noun

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[ek-sten-siv fiz-i-kuhl prop-er-tee]

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Extensive Physical Property

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A physical property of a system that changes and is dependent on the amount of substance present.

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Example: This image shows that extensive properties, like mass (weight), volume (measuring cup), and length (tape measure), depend on the amount of matter present.

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Density Noun

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[den-si-tee]

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Density

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The degree of compactness of a substance, calculated as its mass per unit of volume.

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Example: This image shows that a pumice stone floats because it is less dense than water, while an obsidian stone sinks because it is more dense.

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Melting Point Noun

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[melt-ing point]

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Melting Point

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The specific temperature at which a given solid material changes its state from solid to liquid.

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Example: This graph shows that as heat is added to ice, its temperature rises to 0°C and stays constant while it melts into liquid water.

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Boiling Point Noun

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[boil-ing point]

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Boiling Point

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The specific temperature at which a given liquid material changes its state from liquid to gas.

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Example: This diagram contrasts evaporation with boiling, showing that boiling occurs throughout the liquid when its vapor pressure equals atmospheric pressure, allowing bubbles to form.

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Flammability Noun

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[flam-uh-bil-i-tee]

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Flammability

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A chemical property describing how easily a substance will ignite, causing fire or combustion.

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Example: This universal hazard symbol indicates that a substance is flammable, meaning it has the chemical property that allows it to ignite and burn easily.

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Mass Noun

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[mas]

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Mass

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A measure of the amount of matter in an object, which is a base property of a physical system.

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Example: This image uses a balance scale to compare the mass of an apple to a 1-gram weight, showing the apple has more mass.