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Multiple Choice
Is the weight of a system considered an extensive or intensive property?
A
Extensive property
B
Intensive property
C
Neither intensive nor extensive
D
It depends on the temperature
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the definitions of extensive and intensive properties: Extensive properties depend on the amount of matter or size of the system, while intensive properties do not depend on the amount of matter and remain the same regardless of system size.
Recall that weight is the force exerted by gravity on an object and is proportional to the mass of the object.
Since weight changes when the amount of matter changes (for example, doubling the mass doubles the weight), weight depends on the size or amount of the system.
Therefore, weight is classified as an extensive property because it varies with the quantity of matter in the system.
Note that temperature is an example of an intensive property, which helps contrast the concept with weight.