Final answer:
The boiling point of water is a characteristic physical property as it remains consistent and indicates the identity of the substance, unlike temperature or volume which can vary without offering such identification.
Step-by-step explanation:
The boiling point of water is a characteristic physical property because it is a consistent and reproducible measure that is independent of the amount of substance and is indicative of the identity of a substance. A physical property like boiling point can be observed or measured without changing the substance's identity, and for water, it occurs at 100 °C (212 °F) under standard atmospheric pressure. The boiling point is characteristic of the intermolecular forces present in water. In contrast, neither the temperature nor the volume of a glass of water represent characteristic physical properties as they can vary based on external conditions like heat added to the system or the size of the container, without providing information about the identity of the substance itself.
When water reaches its boiling point, it undergoes a phase change from liquid to gas. This transition requires energy to overcome the attractive forces between water molecules. This is why the temperature of boiling water does not increase even when more heat is added; instead, the added energy facilitates the phase transition. In the kinetic molecular theory, it's stated that particles in different states of matter have varying degrees of movement and kinetic energy, influencing their physical properties.