When the element loses them, it is said that it 'oxidates'. Oxidation is a process that happens when an element transfers electrons to another one.

Chemical propertiesįinally, we are going to explain some of the most important and known chemical properties of matter: 15.

It describes the strength with which a material opposes to physical alterations, such as penetration, abrasion, and scratching. It is explained as the cohesion degree that exists between matter molecules. Tenacity measures the capacity that a material has to absorb the energy without breaking. Similar to malleability, but in this case, it describes the possibility of matter becoming fine threads. This property describes to which point a material is able to reflect light.

Gold is the most malleable known element. This property allows the material to turn into thin sheets. It is a property of matter that allows it to deform without breaking (and therefore dividing). This physical property (the one that goes froma solid state to a liquid one) is usually expressed in Kelvin or centigrades degrees. It is the temperature that matter can withstand until it melts. The more mass and/or less volume, the more density. Some examples of qualitative properties of matter are color, smell or state (although we can define them with words such as solid, liquid, gaseous, etc., we cannot quantify the state of matter).ĭensity is a property of matter or in other words, a feature. It is calculated taking into account the volume that a body occupies and the amount of mass. On the contrary, qualitative properties are those that describe certain properties that cannot be measured, even though they are perceptible through senses. In the case of matter, some examples are temperature or density, which are expressed in degrees and grams per cubic centimeter, respectively. So, it implies numbers with its corresponding units and, often, the existence of a tool to measure such units. Quantitative properties are based on information that can be measured or that are quantifiable. Quantitative vs qualitative properties of matterįirst of all, we are going to differentiate between quantitative and qualitative properties: Quantitative properties Although there are a few more, here we have divided them by basic, physical and chemical properties. In this article, we are going to explain the main properties of matter that are usually studied.

What is a physical property of matter