Physical Properties of Matter

Physical Properties of Matter

• A physical property is a feature that you can observe with your senses or measure with a tool.

• You can observe physical properties without changing it into a different kind of matter.

Observing with your senses

• Color – you use your sense of sight to observe color

• Iron & copper are both metals.• Iron is dark gray, copper is orangish

brown.• Color helps tell them apart

Observing with your senses

• Texture – the way a surface feels, smooth vs. rough, using your sense of touch.

• Some surfaces are smooth, waxy, grainy, soft, powdery, greasy.

Observing with your senses

• You can also use senses of hearing, smell, and taste to observe physical properties. (Don’t use taste unless safe to do so)

• Sugar and salt look similar, taste helps tell them apart.

Observing with your senses

• Some properties describe how a substance acts.

• Conductor – conducts or transfers heat• A good conductor lets heat pass through

it easily.

Observing with your senses

• Metals such as copper, silver, and iron conduct heat well

• Plastic, wood, rubber, and glass are not good conductors.

• Many substances that conduct heat also conduct electricity well.

Observing with your senses

• Magnetism is another observable act.

• You can also observe whether a substance dissolves in water.

• To dissolve means to mix evenly into a liquid, when it dissolves it breaks into tiny pieces and seems to dissappear

Observing with your senses

• Sugar and salt dissolve well.

• If you stir sand in water it does not dissolve well.

Observing with your senses

• A substances state of matter can also be observed.

• Heating or cooling can cause it to change from one state to another

• ice – water – water vapor