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Wize High School Grade 11 Chemistry Textbook > Properties of Matter

Properties of Matter

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Physical and Chemical Properties of Matter

Physical Properties and Changes

  • A physical property is any property of matter that can be measured and that does not involve a change in the identity of the compound. Example: colour, state of matter, melting point, boiling point, density, solubility, electrical conductivity
  • A physical change does not involve the breaking and forming of bonds. Instead, these involve a change of state or physical properties of matter.
  • Physical changes are reversible. Example: When ice melts, we get liquid water. Ice is H2O(s) while water is H2O(l) and steam is H2O(g). The compound is still the same and could be frozen again to become ice again.
Solid ⇌ Liquid ⇌ Gas\text{Solid\ ⇌\ Liquid\ ⇌\ Gas}

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Chemical Properties and Changes

  • A chemical property involves the ability of a compound to change into a new compound. Example: flammability, corrosion, acidity
  • A chemical change occurs when bonds are broken and formed between different atoms.
  • Chemical changes are irreversible. Example: Burning a compound in a chemical reaction is an example of a chemical change. The compound is changed as a result of the burning and can't be changed back (we get a new compound!)
CH4(g)+2O2(g)→CO2(g)+2H2O(g)CH_4(g) + 2O_2(g) → CO_2(g) + 2H_2O(g)
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Example: Physical and Chemical Changes

Classify each of the following changes as physical or chemical:
  1. glass braking
    physical change
  2. milk going bad
    chemical change
  3. adding cocoa powder to hot milk
    physical change
  4. melting gold
    physical change
  5. a camp fire
    chemical change
  6. a piece of iron rusts
    chemical change

Practice: Properties of Matter Vocabulary

Match the following terms and definitions
A.
a process that causes a substance to change into a new substance with a new chemical formula.
B.
a process that does not cause a substance to become a fundamentally different substance.
C.
describes the ability of a substance to undergo a specific chemical change
D.
characteristic of a substance that can be observed or measured without changing the identity of the substance
physical property
chemical property
physical change
chemical change

Practice: Physical and Chemical Properties

Identify each of the following as an example of a physical (P) or a chemical property (C).
PropertyP (physical property) or C (chemical property)?
Leafs are green
Helium does not react with any other element
Pure aluminum is soft
Gold is a very malleable metal
Methane gas is flammable
Sodium metal reacts violently with water

Practice: Physical and Chemical Changes

Identify the following as being true or false
  1. A change in shape is a physical change
  2. An example of a chemical change is when water boils
  3. When vinegar and baking soda mix, a chemical change occurs because a gas is produced.
  4. When food rots, this is a physical change because there is a change in color.