Physical properties are characteristics of a substance or physical system that can be observed or measured without changing the substance’s chemical identity or composition
. These properties describe how a material looks, feels, or behaves physically, and they can be used to identify or describe the material.
Key Aspects of Physical Properties
- Measurability without chemical change: Physical properties can be measured or observed without altering the substance’s chemical structure
- Intensive vs. Extensive:
- Intensive properties do not depend on the amount of the substance (e.g., hardness, density, color)
* _Extensive properties_ depend on the quantity of the substance (e.g., mass, volume, weight)
- Directionality: Some physical properties are isotropic (same in all directions), while others are anisotropic (vary with direction)
Examples of Physical Properties
- Color
- Hardness
- Malleability
- Density
- Melting point
- Boiling point
- Electrical conductivity
- Solubility
- Thermal conductivity
- Volume
- Mass
- Temperature
- Brittleness
- Luster
- Viscosity
- Reflectivity
- Magnetic properties
These properties can be qualitative (e.g., shininess, brittleness) or quantitative (e.g., density, melting point)
Summary
Physical properties characterize matter without causing a change in its chemical identity. They are fundamental for identifying substances and understanding their behavior under various physical conditions
A physical property is a characteristic of a substance that can be observed or measured without changing the identity of the substance
