Which of the following statements best describes a chemical property?

• A. It is a characteristic that can be observed without changing the substance's identity.
• B. It refers to the mass and volume of a substance.
• C. It describes the ability of a substance to undergo a specific chemical change.
• D. It is a property that depends only on the physical state of the substance.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the difference between physical and chemical properties. Physical properties can be observed or measured without changing the substance's identity, such as color, mass, volume, and state of matter.
2. Step 2: Recognize that chemical properties describe a substance's ability to undergo changes that transform it into different substances, involving a change in chemical identity.
3. Step 3: Analyze each statement: the first describes a physical property because it involves observation without changing identity; the second refers to mass and volume, which are physical properties; the fourth depends on physical state, also a physical property.
4. Step 4: Identify that the third statement, which mentions the ability to undergo a specific chemical change, correctly defines a chemical property.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the best description of a chemical property is the one that relates to a substance's ability to undergo a chemical change, distinguishing it from physical properties.