Question

A student is asked to make 3 intensive and 3 extensive observations about an object that is being used in an experiment (4B) Intensive Properties Extensive Properties It is white It has a mass of 25 g It is a solid It has a volume of 5 cm3 It is a piece of chalk It has a density of 5 g/cm3 Which of these observations is in the wrong column?

Answer 1

Density is an intensive property and should not be listed as extensive, as it is a characteristic that remains constant regardless of the sample size.

Step-by-step explanation:

When categorizing the properties of matter, we distinguish between intensive and extensive properties. An intensive property is one that is not dependent on the amount of matter present and remains constant regardless of the sample size. Common examples include temperature and density. Contrastingly, an extensive property does depend on the quantity of matter and can change if the sample size changes. Typical examples are mass and volume.

In the student's list, the observation "It has a density of 5 g/cm³" is misplaced. Density is an intensive property because it is a ratio of two extensive properties, mass, and volume, and does not change with the amount of substance present. Thus, this observation should be under intensive properties, not extensive.