Properties of Matter

Overview

This lecture explains the difference between physical and chemical properties of matter, providing examples of each for comparison.

Physical properties describe a substance's physical characteristics, not its chemical behavior.
Luster refers to whether an object is shiny or dull.
Hardness measures if a material can be scratched.
Ductility indicates if a material can be pulled into a wire.
Malleability shows if a material can be bent without breaking.
Conductivity is the ability of heat or electricity to pass through a substance.
Density is the ratio of mass to volume (mass/volume) indicating how heavy an object is for its size.
Solubility shows how easily a substance can dissolve in another.
Melting point is the temperature at which a substance changes from solid to liquid.
Boiling point is the temperature at which a substance changes from liquid to gas.

Chemical properties are revealed when a substance undergoes a chemical reaction.
Flammability describes how easily a substance reacts with an open flame.
Radioactivity involves changes in the atom's nucleus.
Oxidizers promote combustion in other materials (e.g., nitric acid with copper).
Corrosivity refers to a substance's ability to strip electrons from metals.
Toxicity indicates if a substance can be poisonous or harmful to health.
Explosiveness is the potential of a substance to release large amounts of energy rapidly.
pH measures how acidic or basic a substance is (potential of hydrogen).

Physical Property — characteristic observed without changing chemical identity.
Chemical Property — characteristic observed during or after a chemical reaction.
Density — mass per unit volume of a substance.
pH — scale measuring acidity or basicity.