Science Common Sense

1206 - What are the physical and chemical properties of matter?

Imagine you have a piece of paper and a glass of water. To know what they are and how they're different, let's discover their properties.

Physical Properties: These are things we can see, touch, or measure without changing what the thing is. Examples include:

1. Shape: What the object looks like (e.g., paper is flat, water is liquid).
2. Color: What color the object is (e.g., paper is usually white, water is clear).
3. Weight: How heavy the object is (e.g., paper is light, water is heavier).
4. Volume: How much space the object takes up (e.g., paper is flat, water fills a glass).

Chemical Properties: These are things we can see or measure when the object changes into something new. Examples include:

1. Flammability: Can the object burn? (e.g., paper can burn, water can't).
2. Reacting with other things: Does the object change when it meets something new? (e.g., when you mix baking soda and vinegar, they react and create a fizz).
3. Smell and taste: What does the object smell or taste like when it changes? (e.g., when you burn food, it smells bad).
4. Melting and boiling points: At what temperature does the object melt or turn into a gas? (e.g., water boils at 100°C and melts at 0°C).

So, in summary, physical properties tell us about what something looks like or how it feels, while chemical properties tell us about what happens when something changes into something new.