Physical Vs. Chemical Changes/Properties Vocabulary (Honors)

This section covers all the terms you need to know to identify chemical and physical properties and changes.

Matter

Anything that has mass and takes up space and can exist in solid, liquid, or gas forms.

Shape

A physical property, it is the form or outline of an object.

Temperature

A measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in a substance, commonly expressed in degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit.

State of Matter

A physical property. It’s the physical form matter takes, solid, liquid, gas, or plasma representing different levels of energy.

Color

Physical Property that describes the visual appearance of an object, determined by the wavelengths of light it reflects, absorbs, or emits.

Hardness

Physical Property, determine how difficult it is to scratch or break. It reflects the resistance of a material to deformation or scratching, often measured using the Mohs scale.

Texture

Physical Property, how something feels when you touch it. It can describe the surface characteristics such as smoothness, roughness, or softness of an object.

Ordor

Physical Property, the smell of something that the object omits, can be odorlessor have a strong scent, often used to identify substances.

Weight

Physical Property, the measure of the gravitational force acting on an object, commonly expressed in units such as grams or pounds.

Volume

The amount of space something takes up.It is measured in cubic units, such as liters or cubic centimeters.

Mass

The amount of matter in an object, typically measured in kilograms or grams.

Measure

Done to find the size, amount, or degree of something using tools. This can include mass, weight, distance, time, and volume, among others.

Solid

State of Matter, Atoms are lowest energy and closest together. They have a fixed shape and a fixed volume, unlike liquids and gases which can change shape and volume.

Liquid

State of matter where atoms have more energy than in solids, allowing them to flow and take the shape of their container while maintaining a fixed volume.

Gas

State of Matter, Atoms have more energy than in solids and are farther apart but still close enough to have a definite volume, allowing them to take the shape of their container.

Density

How much mass is packed into a certain amount of space. Higher Density=more mass in a smaller space. Lower Density=Less mass in a larger space.

Flammability

Chemical Property: How quickly or how easily something catches fire and burns in the presence of an ignition source.

Luster

Physical Property: A term to describe how shiny or dull a surface look’s. It refers to the way light interacts with the surface of a material, indicating its reflective quality.

Conductivity

Chemical Property: How well something lets heat or electricity pass through it. Metal is highly conductive and nonmetals are generally not conductive

Malleability

Chemical Property. The ability of a material to be hammered or pressed into shape without breaking or cracking. For example, a metal wire can be bent without snapping, unlike a pencil.

Boiling Point

Physical Property: the temperature at which a liquid turns into a gas and begins to vaporize. It is a characteristic property of substances, reflecting their intermolecular forces.

Solubility

Physical Property: The ability of a substance to dissolve in a solvent, forming a homogeneous mixture. Solubility varies among different substances and is influenced by temperature and pressure.

Reactivity

Chemical Property: The tendency of a substance to undergo chemical changes when it reacts with other substances. This can include reactions with acids, bases, or other chemicals, leading to the formation of new substances.

Combustible

Chemical Property: A substance's ability to ignite and burn in the presence of oxygen, resulting in a chemical reaction that produces heat and light.

Acidity

Chemical Property: How acidic a substance is; acids taste sour and can react with metals.

Basicity

Chemical Property: The measure of a substance's ability to accept protons or donate electron pairs during a chemical reaction, often related to its pH level.

State of Matter

A physical Property: The distinct forms that different phases of matter take on, including solid, liquid, gas, and plasma.

Plasma

The highest energy state of matter. A state of matter like gas, but with charged (ionized) particlesthat conducts electricity and is affected by magnetic fields.