Introduction

The properties of matter They are characteristics that allow one substance to be differentiated from another. These properties are divided into two categories: intensive and extensive. This article will explain the difference between these two categories of properties.

Intensive property

Intensive properties are those that do not depend on the amount of matter present in a substance. That is, they remain constant regardless of the amount of substance you have. Examples of intensive properties are:

• Density: the relationship between the mass and volume of a substance.
• Melting point: the temperature at which a substance changes from a solid to a liquid state.
• Boiling point: the temperature at which a substance changes from a liquid to a gaseous state.
• Taste: the taste perception caused by a substance.

extensive property

Extensive properties are those that depend on the amount of matter present in a substance. That is, its value varies depending on the amount of substance you have. Some examples of extensive properties are:

• Mass: the amount of matter a substance has.
• Volume: the space occupied by a substance.
• Length: the distance between two points in a substance.
• Number of moles: the amount of substance measured in moles.

Why is it important to know the difference between intensive property and extensive property?

It is important to know the difference between intensive property and extensive property since it allows us to better understand the behavior of matter and the interactions between substances. In addition, it allows us to perform precise calculations in chemistry and physics.

Example

Let's imagine that we have a sample of distilled water and another sample of salt water. Both samples have a mass of 50 grams and a volume of 50 ml. We know that the density of distilled water is 1 g/ml and that of salt water is 1.05 g/ml. Density is an intensive property that allows us to distinguish the distilled water sample from the salt water sample without needing to know the amount of matter present.

Conclusion

In summary, the main difference between intensive property and extensive property is that the former does not depend on the amount of matter present in a substance while the latter does. It is important to know the difference between these two categories since it allows us to better understand the behavior of matter and gives us the possibility of making more precise calculations.

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