Final answer:
To examine an intensive property, a student should D) determine the density of a rectangular block of wood by dividing its mass by its volume. This measurement represents an intensive property as it does not change with the size of the sample.
Step-by-step explanation:
To examine an intensive property of a material, which does not depend on the amount of matter present, a student should determine the density of the rectangular block of wood.
Density is a characteristic property that remains the same regardless of the sample size and is calculated by dividing the mass by the volume. The correct procedure is therefore to find both the mass and the volume of the block, then use the formula density = mass / volume to find the density of the wood.
If a student were to simply find the mass, record the length, or measure the volume, these measurements would result in extensive properties, which do depend on the amount of matter. In the context provided, finding the density accurately represents an intensive property and satisfies the goals of the procedure.
Therefore, the correct option to examine an intensive property of a rectangular block of wood is D) Determine the density.