Properties of Matter: Intensive vs Extensive and Related Concepts

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from the notes on intensive vs extensive properties and related quantities (Pages 1–5).

Intensive Property

A property that does not depend on the amount of substance; examples include melting point, boiling point, density, and viscosity.

Melting Point

The temperature at which a solid changes to a liquid; for ice it is 0°C, regardless of the amount.

Density

Mass per unit volume; for water it is 1 g/cm³ and remains the same regardless of amount.

Viscosity

A measure of a liquid's thickness or resistance to flow; high viscosity = thick, low viscosity = runny.

Boiling Point

The temperature at which a liquid boils; for water, 100°C, independent of the amount.

Extensive Property

A property that changes with the amount of substance present; more material means a larger value.

Mass

A measure of the amount of matter; in the notes, mass is an extensive property that changes with the amount of material (e.g., halving the object changes the observed mass).

Length

A linear dimension that changes with the amount of material; e.g., one rod is 1 meter, two rods equal 2 meters.

Volume

The amount of space occupied by a material; increases with more material.

Elasticity

The ability of a material to return to its original shape after being stretched; both small and large rubber bands are elastic.

Color

Color does not depend on the amount of material; copper remains reddish (or brown) regardless of piece size.

Electrical Charge

A measure of static electricity produced by rubbing; a balloon on hair yields a small charge, rubbing on a large surface (like carpet) yields a larger charge.

Entropy

A measure of disorder or how energy is spread in a system; doubling the system doubles entropy; melting ice cubes increases entropy.

Energy

The capacity to do work; more material generally corresponds to more energy (e.g., calories in cookies).

Number of Moles

A count of moles in a sample; doubling the sample doubles the moles (e.g., 18 g H2O = 1 mole; 36 g H2O = 2 moles).

Momentum

Depends on mass (and velocity); with the same speed, a heavier object (e.g., bowling ball) has greater momentum than a lighter one (e.g., ping pong ball).