Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
A physical property is a characteristic of matter that can be observed or measured without changing its chemical composition. Examples include color, density, and melting point.
5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test
Physical properties are intrinsic to the material and do not depend on the amount of substance present.
They can be classified as either intensive or extensive; intensive properties do not depend on the quantity of matter, while extensive properties do.
Density, boiling point, and refractive index are examples of intensive physical properties.
Mass, volume, and length are examples of extensive physical properties.
Physical properties can be measured using various techniques such as spectroscopy for color and pycnometry for density.
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Related terms
Chemical Property: A characteristic that describes the ability of a substance to undergo a specific chemical change.
Intensive Property: A physical property that does not depend on the amount of substance present, such as temperature or density.
Extensive Property: A physical property that depends on the amount of substance present, such as mass or volume.