Intensive vs. Extensive Properties - Online Tutor, Practice Problems & Exam Prep

Properties of matter are categorized into intensive and extensive properties. Intensive properties, such as color, density, hardness, boiling point, and temperature, are inherent to the material and do not change with the amount present. In contrast, extensive properties, including mass, length, volume, and energy, depend on the quantity of the substance. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for analyzing physical properties and behaviors of materials in various contexts.

Intensive vs. Extensive Properties

When discussing the different properties of matter, it's also important to include intensive and extensive properties. Now, intensive properties are those that are innate or internal types of properties for a given material. Because they are innate to an object, they are independent of the size or amount of the substance present. So it doesn't matter if I have a little bit of the substance or a lot of the substance. That property is unique to it. Now, we're going to say intensive properties are characterized as being physical properties. So there are going to be some things that we've seen before when we talked about physical properties of matter.

So if we take a look here at these images, again, we have our trusty, color palette. So we know that an intensive property has to be color. Now, it doesn't matter if I have a small amount of gold or a large amount of gold. Gold typically has the same color. Next, we know that here the density of an object determines if it's going to sink within the liquid or if it's going to float on its surface. So density is an intensive property.

Again, going along with the idea of gold, it doesn't matter if I have an ounce of gold or a ton of gold. Gold is gold, so all of them will have the same basic density. Next, hardness. Now, it doesn't matter if I have a small diamond or a large diamond, diamonds are naturally strong and durable substances found in nature.

So, again, their hardness isn't based on the amount that we have of the substance. We know that here, this pot that has steam coming out of it, it can represent boiling point, melting point, or freezing point. And then finally here we have a thermometer. Here we'd say that this image represents temperature. Temperature represents another common type of intensive property.

Now, we know that water, from grade school, boils at \(100^\circ\) Celsius. It doesn't matter if I have a gallon of water or if I have a cup of water, water will boil at \(100^\circ\) Celsius, no matter the amount of it because temperature is an intensive property. Now that we've gone over the basic ideas of this, let's take a look at questions we're asked to either determine what is or isn't an intensive property. So click on the next video.

Intensive vs. Extensive Properties Example 1

So here if we take a look at this example question, it says, which of the following are examples of intensive properties? So for the first one, we have mass. Now, mass definitely is not an intensive property. 10 grams is very different from 100 grams. Mass is based on the amount you have of a substance. Length. Length can't also be an intensive property because think about it. Length, 1 mile is different from a 1000 miles. So here, the length of something is based on the quantity that's stated. We know that melting point is one of the intensive property examples we've given up above, so we know that our answer must contain, 3 in a choice. So if we look at the options, 3 is not listed here, 3 is listed here, but we just said that length cannot be an intensive property. 3 is listed here, but again, 2, we said that 2 cannot be an intensive property. So that means the only answer is d. If we look at for volume, volume can't be an intensive property either because we can say here that 1 ounce of water is very different from 1 gallon of water. Volume is based on the quantity that's stated. Luster. Luster would be our other intensive property. Luster has to do with the shininess of an object. Now, if we think of gold, we have an ounce of gold, and then we have a ton of gold. Gold, both of them are, so they're both going to have the same type of shininess associated with that particular element. Shininess luster is based on just innate properties within the substance. So luster here as well as melting point would be our 2 intensive properties. Now that we've done this example, move on to the practice question.

Which of the following is not an example of an intensive property?

• A. Elemental Magnetism
• B. Density
• C. Temperature
• D. Milligrams
• E. Freezing Point

Intensive vs. Extensive Properties

In our continued discussion of the properties of matter, we now come to extensive properties. Now, we're going to say here that extensive properties are those that are external. These external properties are dependent on the size and amount of substance present. Now, we're going to say extensive properties, just like intensive properties, are still physical properties. Some of the most common types of extensive properties, some of these images we've seen already. So, this anvil represents mass. Mass is definitely an extensive property. It's based on the amount that we have. 10 grams of a substance is very different from 100 grams of that same substance. Next, we have a ruler, which represents length. One mile is definitely different from 100 miles. Here we have our cube; inside the cube, the space within it is our volume. So, you could have a cube that holds only an ounce of water and another cube that can hold a gallon of water. Now, here, the volume involved is very different. Finally, here we have our energy drink. Now, we're not saying that an energy drink is an extensive property. What we're saying here is that all forms of energy are extensive properties. We're talking about thermal energy, nuclear energy, and all types of energy as types of extensive properties. Therefore, that energy drink just represents a broad understanding of all the energy forms that exist. Alright. So, just remember, an extensive property is based on the amount that we have of a particular substance. Now that we've seen this basic understanding of it, let's move on to our example question in the next video.

Intensive vs. Extensive Properties Example 2

So if we take a look here at this example question, it states, which of the following is classified as an extensive property? First, we have chemical energy. Remember, we have our trusty energy drink up above. That energy drink represents all forms of energy, nuclear energy, thermal energy, or in this case, chemical energy. So remember, if "energy" is in the name, it can count as an extensive property. So here, this would be our extensive property. Let's look at the other choices here. Next, we have electrical conductivity. Now, conductivity is the ability to channel electrical current. This property is based on the properties that are innate to a substance. Thus, it represents an intensive property. Whether there is a small amount of a conductive material or large amount, it still is going to conduct electricity. Its amount doesn't control this particular property. Luster. We've talked about luster before as well. It refers to the shininess of a material. Its shininess doesn't depend on whether we have a lot of it or a little bit of it. It also is an intensive property. And then finally, freezing point. Remember, freezing point, melting point, boiling point; we said that all of these are innate or intrinsic properties, so they're all intensive properties. Whether I have a cup of water or a gallon of water, it would have the same freezing point. So out of all my choices, only option A is the correct choice. Now that we've seen this example question, let's move on to the practice question.

Which of the following is not an example of an extensive property?

• A. Kilograms
• B. Gibbs Free Energy
• C. Milliliters
• D. Malleability

Which of the following is an extensive property of a nitrogen molecule?

• A. Boiling Point
• B. Temperature
• C. Moles
• D. Polarity
• E. Reactivity

Here’s what students ask on this topic:

What is the difference between intensive and extensive properties?

Intensive properties are inherent to a material and do not change with the amount of the substance present. Examples include color, density, hardness, boiling point, and temperature. For instance, the density of gold remains the same whether you have a small piece or a large chunk. Extensive properties, on the other hand, depend on the quantity of the substance. Examples include mass, length, volume, and energy. For example, the mass of a substance will increase if you have more of it. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for analyzing the physical properties and behaviors of materials in various contexts.

Why is density considered an intensive property?

Density is considered an intensive property because it is independent of the amount of the substance present. Density is defined as mass per unit volume (ρ = m/V). Whether you have a small sample or a large sample of a material, the ratio of mass to volume remains constant. For example, the density of water is approximately 1 g/cm³, regardless of whether you have a cup of water or a gallon. This constancy makes density an intensive property, as it is inherent to the material itself.

Can you give examples of extensive properties?

Extensive properties are those that depend on the amount of the substance present. Common examples include mass, length, volume, and energy. For instance, the mass of a substance will increase if you have more of it, such as 10 grams of a substance being different from 100 grams. Similarly, the volume of a substance will change with the amount, like a cube that holds an ounce of water versus one that holds a gallon. Energy, including thermal and nuclear energy, is also an extensive property, as it varies with the quantity of the substance.

How do boiling point and melting point qualify as intensive properties?

Boiling point and melting point are considered intensive properties because they do not change with the amount of the substance present. For example, water boils at 100°C and melts at 0°C, regardless of whether you have a cup of water or a gallon. These properties are inherent to the substance itself and are determined by the material's molecular structure and intermolecular forces. Therefore, they remain constant irrespective of the quantity, qualifying them as intensive properties.

Is energy an intensive or extensive property?

Energy is an extensive property because it depends on the amount of the substance present. Different forms of energy, such as thermal energy, nuclear energy, and chemical energy, all vary with the quantity of the material. For example, the thermal energy of a substance will increase if you have more of it, such as heating a small pot of water versus a large pot. This dependency on the amount of substance makes energy an extensive property.