Q31 E - Chemistry (OpenStax)

Question

Explain the difference between extensive properties and intensive properties.

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

Extensive properties are those that depend on the amount of matter present. Intensive properties are bulk properties. 

Extensive and Intensive properties

Extensive properties are those that depend on the amount of matter present. An extensive property is considered additive for subsystems. Examples of extensive properties include: Volume, Mass, Size, Weight, and Length.

Whereas, Intensive properties are bulk properties, which means they do not depend on the amount of matter that is present. Examples are  Boiling Point, Density, State of Matter, Color, Melting Point, Temperature, Refractive Index, Hardness, Ductility, Malleability, etc.

Determine the specific difference between intensive and extensive properties

Extensive property is directly proportional to the mass where as, intensive properties are not related to the mass.