Intensive vs. Extensive Properties: Videos & Practice Problems

Understanding the properties of matter is crucial in chemistry, and this includes distinguishing between intensive and extensive properties. Intensive properties, such as color, density, hardness, boiling point, melting point, freezing point, and temperature, are inherent to a substance and do not depend on the amount present. For example, gold's color remains the same whether you have an ounce or a ton, and water boils at 100 degrees Celsius regardless of volume. In contrast, extensive properties like mass, length, volume, and energy types depend on the size and amount of substance present. A substance's mass or volume will vary with the quantity, making these properties extensive. Both intensive and extensive properties are physical properties, but their dependency on the amount of substance is what sets them apart. Understanding these properties helps predict how substances will behave in different contexts, which is essential for problem-solving in chemistry.

Intensive Properties

Understanding the properties of matter is essential in the study of physical science, particularly when distinguishing between intensive and extensive properties. Intensive properties are intrinsic characteristics of a material, meaning they do not change regardless of the amount of substance present. This quality makes them unique identifiers for materials.

Examples of intensive properties include:

• Color: The color of a substance, such as gold, remains consistent whether you have a small nugget or a large ingot.
• Density: Density is a critical property that influences whether an object will sink or float in a liquid. For instance, the density of gold is the same regardless of the quantity.
• Hardness: The hardness of materials, like diamonds, is another intensive property. A small diamond and a large diamond will both exhibit the same level of hardness.
• Boiling Point: The boiling point of water is a classic example; it boils at 100 degrees Celsius, irrespective of whether you have a cup or a gallon.
• Temperature: Temperature is also an intensive property, as it remains constant for a given substance at a specific state, regardless of the amount.

In contrast, extensive properties depend on the amount of substance present, such as mass and volume. Recognizing the difference between these two types of properties is crucial for understanding material behavior in various scientific contexts.

Intensive Properties Example

In the study of properties of matter, it is essential to distinguish between intensive and extensive properties. Intensive properties are characteristics that do not depend on the amount of substance present, while extensive properties do. For instance, mass and length are extensive properties because they vary with the quantity of the material. For example, 10 grams of a substance is different from 100 grams, and 1 mile differs from 1000 miles.

On the other hand, intensive properties remain constant regardless of the amount of substance. Melting point is a prime example of an intensive property; it is inherent to the substance itself. For instance, whether you have a small piece of ice or a large block, the melting point remains the same. Similarly, luster, which refers to the shininess of a material, is also an intensive property. Regardless of whether you have an ounce or a ton of gold, its shininess remains unchanged.

In summary, when identifying intensive properties, look for characteristics that do not change with the quantity of the substance. In the example discussed, melting point and luster are confirmed as intensive properties, while mass, length, and volume are classified as extensive properties. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for further studies in chemistry and material science.

Which of the following is not an example of an intensive property?

• A. Elemental Magnetism
• B. Density
• C. Temperature
• D. Milligrams
• E. Freezing Point

Answer: (D)

Extensive Properties

In the study of properties of matter, extensive properties are defined as those that depend on the size and amount of the substance present. Unlike intensive properties, which remain constant regardless of the quantity, extensive properties vary with the amount of material. These properties are classified as physical properties and include several key examples.

One of the most fundamental extensive properties is mass, which directly correlates with the quantity of a substance. For instance, 10 grams of a substance is significantly different from 100 grams. Another important extensive property is length; the difference between one mile and 100 miles illustrates how length varies with the amount of material being measured.

Volume is also an extensive property, represented by the space occupied by a substance. For example, a cube that holds one ounce of water has a different volume than a cube that can contain a gallon. Lastly, energy is categorized as an extensive property as well. This includes all forms of energy, such as thermal energy and nuclear energy, which depend on the amount of substance present.

In summary, extensive properties are crucial for understanding the characteristics of materials, as they are directly influenced by the quantity of the substance involved. Recognizing these properties helps in various scientific applications and enhances our comprehension of physical matter.

Extensive Property Example

In the study of properties of matter, it is essential to distinguish between extensive and intensive properties. An extensive property is one that depends on the amount of substance present, while an intensive property remains constant regardless of the quantity. For instance, chemical energy is classified as an extensive property because it varies with the amount of substance; more of a substance will contain more chemical energy. This concept can be remembered by noting that if energy is mentioned in the name, it is likely an extensive property.

On the other hand, properties such as electrical conductivity, luster, and freezing point are classified as intensive properties. Electrical conductivity refers to a material's ability to conduct electricity, which does not change with the amount of the material present. Similarly, luster, which describes the shininess of a substance, remains constant regardless of the quantity. The freezing point, along with other phase change points like melting and boiling points, is also an intensive property, as it does not vary with the amount of substance; for example, both a cup of water and a gallon of water will freeze at the same temperature.

In summary, when evaluating properties of substances, remember that extensive properties, such as chemical energy, depend on the amount of material, while intensive properties, like electrical conductivity, luster, and freezing point, do not. This understanding is crucial for correctly identifying and classifying the properties of different materials.

Which of the following is not an example of an extensive property?

• A. Kilograms
• B. Gibbs Free Energy
• C. Milliliters
• D. Malleability

Answer: (D)

Which of the following is an extensive property of a nitrogen molecule?

• A. Boiling Point
• B. Temperature
• C. Moles
• D. Polarity
• E. Reactivity

Answer: (C)

Here’s what students ask on this topic:

What is the difference between intensive and extensive properties?

Intensive and extensive properties are two categories of physical properties used to describe matter.

Intensive properties are those that do not depend on the amount of the substance present. They are intrinsic to the material, meaning they are the same regardless of how much of the substance you have. Examples include boiling point, density, color, and temperature. For instance, the density of gold is the same whether you have a 1-gram nugget or a 1-kilogram bar.

Extensive properties, on the other hand, do change with the quantity of the substance. They are extrinsic and depend on the size or extent of the system. Examples include mass, volume, energy, and entropy. For example, the mass of a sample of water will vary if you have one glass or a full jug, but the density (an intensive property) of the water remains constant.

Understanding these properties is important because it helps you predict how a substance will behave under different conditions without being influenced by its amount.

What are intensive properties?

Intensive properties are characteristics of a substance that do not depend on the amount of the substance present. These properties are intrinsic to the material, meaning they are inherent and do not change regardless of the size or extent of the system. Examples of intensive properties include boiling point, melting point, density, temperature, and refractive index. For instance, the boiling point of water is always 100°C at standard atmospheric pressure, irrespective of whether you have a milliliter or a liter of water. Similarly, the density of gold is constant and does not vary whether you have a tiny gold nugget or a large gold bar. Intensive properties are useful in identifying substances and do not scale with the quantity of material. Contrastingly, extensive properties, such as mass and volume, do depend on the amount of substance present.

What are extensive properties?

Extensive properties are characteristics of a substance that change when the amount of the substance is changed. In other words, they are dependent on the quantity of material present. These properties are not intrinsic to the substance itself, but rather vary with the size or extent of the system being considered.

Examples of extensive properties include mass, volume, length, and total charge. For instance, if you have a sample of water, the mass and volume of that water are extensive properties because if you take more water, both the mass and volume will increase proportionally. Similarly, the energy content of a system is an extensive property because it depends on the amount of substance present.

It's important to differentiate extensive properties from intensive properties, which do not depend on the amount of matter. Temperature and density are examples of intensive properties; they remain the same regardless of how much substance you have. Understanding the difference between these types of properties is crucial in fields like thermodynamics and material science.