Chemical & Physical Properties of Matter

Chemical Properties

• Characteristics that are observed ONLY when a substance changes into a different substance

Chemical Properties

• Types of Chemical Properties:• Combustible/flammable:

• able to burn

• Examples & Facts:• all chemicals come with a

label that identifies their level of flammability

Chemical Properties

• Types of Chemical Properties:• Combustible/flammable:

• able to burn

• Examples & Facts:• oxygen & hydrogen are very flammable

gases• carbon dioxide is not a very flammable

gas

Chemical Properties

• Types of Chemical Properties:• Reactivity:

• how easily a substance reacts with another substance

• Examples & Facts:• many chemicals react with

water or oxygen• all chemicals come with a

label that identifies their level of reactivity

Chemical Properties

• Types of Chemical Properties:• Reactivity:

• how easily a substance reacts with another substance

• Examples & Facts:• corrosion: slow reaction

& wearing away of metals (rusting, tarnishing)

Physical Properties

• Characteristics that can be observed without changing the substance into something else

Physical Properties

• Types of Physical Properties:• color• texture• odor• taste• hardness• magnetic• boiling, melting, & freezing

points

Physical Properties

• Types of Physical Properties:• Luster:

• shininess or dullness

• Examples & Facts:• most metals are shiny• diamonds have a lot of

luster• many minerals are dull

Physical Properties

• Types of Physical Properties:• Brittleness:

• how easily a substance breaks into pieces

• Examples & Facts:• very brittle substances

may crumble or break with very little force

Physical Properties

• Types of Physical Properties:• Brittleness:

• how easily a substance breaks into pieces

• Examples & Facts:• many rocks & minerals

are brittle• chalk is brittle because

it crumbles easily

Physical Properties

• Types of Physical Properties:• Malleable:

• can be pounded into shapes

• Examples & Facts:• aluminum is very malleable• clay is also malleable• substances that are malleable

are usually not very brittle

Physical Properties

• Types of Physical Properties:• Ductile:

• can be pulled out into a long wire

• Examples & Facts:• substances may be both malleable

& ductile• copper is very malleable &

ductile• substances that are ductile

are usually not very brittle

Physical Properties

• Types of Physical Properties:• Conductive:

• can transmit heat and/or electricity

• Examples & Facts:• a substance may conduct heat,

electricity, neither, or both• most metals are good

conductors

Physical Properties

• Types of Physical Properties:• Conductive:

• can transmit heat and/or electricity

• Examples & Facts:• pots & pans are made out of metals

that are good heat conductors

Physical Properties

• Types of Physical Properties:• Soluble:

• can be dissolved in a liquid

• Examples & Facts:• substances that are “water-

soluble” will dissolve in water• salt & sugar are soluble in

water• substances that don’t dissolve

are “insoluble”