Physical and Chemical properties and changes + Vocab

Property

A characteristics that describes a substance e.g colour, reactivity, taste, smell, hardness.

Physical Property

A characteristic of a substance that can be observed or measured without changing the substance.

Physical change

A change in size, shape, or state that does not form a new substance.

Quantitative Physical Property

Number based; properties that can be measured and expressed with units.

Qualitative Physical Property

Word based; characteristics observed using the senses without numerical measurement.

Chemical Property

Describes the ability of a substance to change into one or more new substances.

Chemical Change

A change in which one or more new substances are formed with different properties.

Quantitative Examples

Density (g/ml), Solubility, Melting/freezing/boiling point, Mass (g), Volume (mL or L).

Qualitative Examples

Colour/Lustre, Brittleness, Texture, Physical State, Odour, Taste, Malleability, Ductility, Clarity, Hardness, Conductivity.

Chemical Property Examples

Absorbs/emits heat, Combustible, Forms gas, Reacts with acid/water, Forms a precipitate.

Precipitate

A solid formed in a solution during a chemical reaction.

Density

In g/ml

Solubility

How much of a substance can dissolve in a certain amount of solvent.

Melting/freezing/boiling point

In °C

Mass

In grams (g)

Volume

In mL or L

Colour/Lustre

Colour and shine

Brittleness

Does it shatter?

Texture/Form

Amorphous/Crystalline?

Physical State

Solid, liquid, gas

Odour

How does it smell?

Taste

Salty/Sour/Bitter/Sweet?

Malleability

Pounded into sheets?

Ductility

Stretched into wire?

Clarity

Transparent/Translucent/Opaque

Hardness

Hard substances scratch soft.

Conductivity

Conducts electricity/heat.

Evidence of Chemical Property (1)

Absorbs heat during reaction

Evidence of Chemical Property (2)

Combustible

Evidence of Chemical Property (3)

Forms gas

Evidence of Chemical Property (4)

Reacts with acid

Evidence of Chemical Property (5)

Reacts with water

Evidence of Chemical Property (6)

Emits heat during reaction

Evidence of Chemical Property (7)

Forms a precipitate (solid) in a solution

(1) Evidence of chemical change

Colour change

(2) Evidence of chemical change

Temperature change

(3) Evidence of chemical change

Precipitate formation inside a liquid

(4) Evidence of chemical change

Odour/taste change

(5) Evidence of chemical change

Production of a new gas (Gas Formed)