Physical Properties of Matter

As we were taught in school, matter is described in the most common definition, as any substance which has mass and occupies space. Every physical object is composed of matter, in the form of atoms. These atoms are in turn composed of protons, neutrons and electrons. Matter exists in four states, solid, liquid, gas and plasma. The state of matter of most substances can transit between these various phases of matter, depending on the amount of heat the material absorbs or loses. For instance, heat can melt ice into water, and turn water into steam. Such an activity is known as transition between one phase to another. There are four general properties of matter such as, weight, volume, mass, and density, of which, mass is of great importance, as it is the amount of matter existing in an object, and unless it is uprooted out of the object, it never changes.

Properties of Matter

Matter is discovered once you study its properties thoroughly, so for a while, let's side-step the definition of matter, its general properties, etc., and focus plainly on the properties of matter, which are divided into two components:

1. The Physical Properties
2. The Chemical Properties

Let's begin by discussing the physical properties. These properties are concerned with energy and states of matter. Properties of a substance that do not change the chemical nature of matter, or produce a new substance are defined as the physical properties of matter. Changes in state like color, smell, crushing a can, melting an ice cube or even breaking a bottle are some examples, whereas, on the other hand, the chemical properties of matter take place on the molecular level. Unlike the physical properties, chemical properties produce a change in the chemical nature of matter or simply creates a new substance, for example, cooking an egg, rusting of an iron pan, combustion (burning) or photosynthesis, reactivity with water come under chemical properties.

Physical Properties of Matter

They are categorized as Intensive Properties and Extensive Properties.

Intensive Properties
Intensive properties are extremely important and they do not depend on the amount of matter present in a substance. In short, it is a property independent of the amount of mass. This is because every kind of matter possesses a distinctive set of intensive properties that distinguishes it from the other kind of matter. These include:

• Color
• Odor: Signifies Smell
• Boiling Point: The temperature at which the liquid boils at sea-level (generally atmospheric pressure)
• Freezing/Melting Point: The temperature below which a liquid turns into a solid at atmospheric pressure
• Density: The mass of a substance divided by its volume (D=M/V)
• Luster: A shine on a substance
• Malleability: The property of a substance to be beaten into thin sheets
• Ductility: The malleability of a substance drawn into threads, wires into thin sheets
• Conductivity: The ability of transmitting the flow of energy, electricity and sound
• Hardness: The property of a substance being rigid and resistant to pressure

These are some of the common examples of intensive properties.

Extensive Properties
Speaking of extensive properties, these depend on the amount of matter present in a substance. That is, they vary directly with the mass, volume, etc. These include:

• Mass: An amount of matter in a specific object
• Weight: A vertical force exerted by a mass on an object as a result of gravity
• Volume: A substance occupying an amount of space in a given area
• Length: An extension of a substance from beginning to the end

The table given below, shows distinguishing characteristics between intensive properties and extensive properties. Here are few samples to classify each of them:

Examples To Differentiate Between The Two Properties
The mass of iron present in your blood	extensive: depends on volume of blood in the body
The percentage of alcohol in the beer	intensive: percentage is same for any similar sized sample
The electrical resistance of a piece of 50 gauge copper wire	extensive: depends on length of the wire
The mass of iron present in 10 ml of your blood	intensive: same for any 10-ml sample

In this manner, if a quantity of matter is divided into two equal parts, each of them will have the same value of intensive property and the other half will have an extensive one. Therefore, the more properties of matter we learn to identify for a particular substance, the better we learn the nature of that substance.