Science - Physical and Chemical Properties of Matter
Matter is basically everything around
you. The scientific definition is, “Matter is anything that takes up space and
has mass”. Different types of matter have different
properties that will allow us to distinguish one from another. For example,
if we put isopropyl alcohol and water in separate beakers, it will be a little
difficult to tell one from the other based on appearance alone. Both appear
clear or colorless. Luckily, these substances have other properties that are
different. Look at the chart below:
Properties
|
Water
|
Isopropyl
Alcohol
|
Odor
|
None
|
Strong
smell
|
Speed
of evaporation
|
Slow
|
Fast
|
Flammability
|
Not
flammable
|
Highly
flammable
|
These properties can be
classified into two categories: physical and chemical properties.
· Physical
properties can be observed using your senses. Additionally, it can be observed
or measured without changing the composition of the substance.
Ex. The color, odor, and the evaporation speed
was observed without changing the substances. They remained water and alcohol
even after you have observed the properties.
· Chemical
properties are properties that can be observed when the substance changes into
another kind of substance.
Ex. Flammability of substances is a chemical
property because once you set something on fire, it typically turns into
another substance. In this example, the alcohol turns into carbon dioxide and
water vapor.
More examples of
Physical
Properties
|
Chemical
Properties
|
Length, width, height
|
Reactivity with water – whether a substance
reacts with water
|
Mass, weight
|
Heat of combustion – amount of energy released
when a substance is burned with oxygen
|
Freezing, boiling, and melting point
|
Toxicity – how much a substance can damage
organisms
|
Density
|
Ability to Oxidize – example is rusting
|
Viscosity – ability to flow
|
Half-Life – amount of time it will take for half
of the original substance to decay
|
Attraction to magnet
|
Flammability – ability of matter to ignite
|
Short worksheet on identifying what property is observed and determining if it is a physical or chemical property
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