Science, Tech, Math › Science Chemical Properties and Physical Properties Print The color and volume of the balls are physical properties. Their flammability and reactivity are chemical properties. PM Images / Getty Images Science Chemistry Basics Chemical Laws Molecules Periodic Table Projects & Experiments Scientific Method Biochemistry Physical Chemistry Medical Chemistry Chemistry In Everyday Life Famous Chemists Activities for Kids Abbreviations & Acronyms Biology Physics Geology Astronomy Weather & Climate By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. Chemistry Expert Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on May 10, 2019 When you study matter, you'll be expected to understand and distinguish between chemical and physical properties. Physical Properties Read More Physical Properties of Matter By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. Basically, physical properties are those which you can observe and measure without changing the chemical identity of your sample. Physical properties are used to describe matter and make observations about it. Examples of physical properties include color, shape, position, volume and boiling point. Physical properties may be subdivided into intensive and extensive properties. An intensive property (e.g., color, density, temperature, melting point) is a bulk property that does not depend on the sample size. An extensive property (e.g., mass, shape, volume) is affected by the amount of matter in a sample. Chemical Properties Chemical properties, on the other hand, reveal themselves only when the sample is changed by a chemical reaction. Examples of chemical properties include flammability, reactivity and toxicity. The Gray Area Between Physical and Chemical Properties Would you consider solubility to be a chemical property or a physical property, given that ionic compounds dissociate into new chemical species when dissolved (e.g., salt in water), while covalent compounds do not (e.g., sugar in water)? Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Chemical Properties and Physical Properties." ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/chemical-properties-and-physical-properties-3975956. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2020, August 27). Chemical Properties and Physical Properties. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/chemical-properties-and-physical-properties-3975956 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Chemical Properties and Physical Properties." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/chemical-properties-and-physical-properties-3975956 (accessed April 24, 2024). copy citation