Question

Which is an intensive property?

• A. Temperature
• B. Density
• C. Color
• D. Pressure

Hint:

Intensive properties (like density, boiling point, and color) are independent of sample size, whereas extensive properties (like mass and volume) change with the amount of material.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

An example of an intensive property is density.

Intensive properties are physical quantities that do not depend on the amount or size of the substance in a system. They are independent of the quantity of material present. Density, which is defined as mass per unit volume (ρ = m/V), is a classic example of an intensive property because it remains constant regardless of the size or mass of the sample.

Explanation of density as an intensive property:

• Density formula: Density is calculated by dividing the mass (m) of an object by its volume (V), represented as ρ = m/V.
• Independence from sample size: Whether you have a small or large sample of a substance, the density remains the same, provided the substance is homogeneous. For example, the density of water is approximately 1 g/cm³ at 4°C, no matter how much water you have.
• Contrast with extensive properties: In contrast, extensive properties depend on the amount of substance present. Examples of extensive properties include mass, volume, and total energy. If you double the amount of a substance, the value of an extensive property will also double, but the value of an intensive property (such as density) will remain unchanged.

Density is a valuable property used to identify substances, understand material behavior, and even predict the behavior of substances in different conditions (like temperature and pressure changes).