Properties of Matter

The substance is a silvery white, lustrous metal. It melts at 649C and boils at 1105C. Its density at 20C is 1.738 g/mL. The substance burns in air, producing an intense white light. It reacts with chlorine to give a brittle white solid. The substance can be pounded into thin sheets or drawn into wires. It is a good conductor of electricity.

Zinc is a silver-gray colored metal, which melts at 420C. When zinc granules are added to dilute sulfuric acid, hydrogen is given off and the metal dissolves. Zinc has a hardness on the Mohs scale of 2.5 and a density of 7.13 g/mL at 25C. It reacts slowly with oxygen gas at elevated temperatures to form zinc oxide, ZnO.

Properties of Matter

PHYSICAL – can be determined without changing the nature of the substance

CHEMICAL – describes a substance’s ability to participate in chemical reactions

Some Examples of Physical Properties (Hill & Kolb, 2004)

Property Examples Temperature 0C for ice water.

100C for boiling water.

Mass A nickel has a mass of 5 g.

An iron nail has a mass of

2.5 g.

Structure Ice is crystalline. Glass is amorphous.

Property Examples Color Sulfur is yellow.

Bromine is reddish brown.

Taste Acids are sour; bases are

bitter.

Some Examples of Physical Properties (Hill & Kolb, 2004)

Property Examples Odor Benzyl acetate smells like

jasmine. Hydrogen sulfide smells like rotten eggs.

Boiling point Water boils at 100C.Ethyl alcohol boils at 78.5C.

Some Examples of Physical Properties (Hill & Kolb, 2004)

Property Examples Freezing point Water freezes at 0C.

Methane freezes at

182C.

Hardness Diamond is exceptionally

hard.

Sodium metal is soft.

Some Examples of Physical Properties (Hill & Kolb, 2004)

Some Examples of Physical Properties (Hill & Kolb, 2004)

Property Examples Conductivity Copper conducts

electricity.Diamond does not.

Aluminum is a good heat conductor. Glass is a poor heat conductor.

Property Examples Solubility Ethyl alcohol dissolves in

water.

Gasoline does not.

Density For water it is 1.00 g/mL.

For gold it is 19.3 g/mL.

Some Examples of Physical Properties (Hill & Kolb, 2004)

Some Examples of Chemical Properties (Hill & Kolb, 2004)

Substance Typical Chemical Property Iron Gets rusty (combines with

oxygen to form iron oxide)

Carbon Burns (combines with oxygen to form carbon dioxide)

Substance Typical Chemical Property Silver Tarnishes (combines with

sulfur to form silver sulfide)

Some Examples of Physical Properties (Hill & Kolb, 2004)

Some Examples of Chemical Properties (Hill & Kolb, 2004)

Substance Typical Chemical Property Nitroglycerin Explodes (decomposes to

produce a mixture of gases)

Neon Is inert (does not react with

anything)

Physical Properties of Matter

Extensive – depends on the quantity of the sample; measured values of the same extensive property can be added together

Intensive – do not depend on the amount of the sample being examined; may be used to identify substances; measured values are not additive

Intensive and Extensive Physical Properties (Mapa & Fidelino, 1997)

Intensive Extensive

Color

Odor

Hardness

Density

Boiling point

Melting point

Freezing point

Weight

Mass

Volume

Length

Width

Thickness

Area

Intensive and Extensive Properties

Intensive and Extensive Properties

Extensive properties change when sample

size changes; intensive properties don’t.