1.3 Physical and Chemical Properties

Matter has unique traits that define its behavior. Physical properties, like color and melting point, don't change its makeup. Chemical properties, such as flammability, show how it reacts with other substances.

Some properties depend on quantity, like mass and volume. Others, like density and boiling point, stay the same no matter how much you have. Understanding these helps us predict how matter will act in different situations.

Properties of Matter

Physical vs chemical properties of matter

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• Physical properties describe characteristics observed or measured without changing substance composition
  • Color (red, blue, green)
  • Melting point (water at 0 ℃, iron at 1538 ℃)
  • Boiling point (water at 100 ℃, ethanol at 78.4 ℃)
  • Density (water at 1 g/mL, gold at 19.3 g/mL)
  • Hardness (talc at 1 on Mohs scale, diamond at 10)
  • Malleability measures ability to deform under compression without breaking (gold, silver)
  • Conductivity measures ability to conduct heat or electricity (copper, aluminum)
  • States of matter (solid, liquid, gas, plasma) are determined by physical properties
• Chemical properties describe how substance reacts with others or changes composition
  • Flammability measures how easily substance ignites and burns (gasoline, paper)
  • Reactivity with acids or bases (metals react with acids, ammonia reacts with acids)
  • Oxidation potential measures tendency to lose electrons and increase oxidation state (iron rusts, copper forms patina)
  • Corrosion resistance measures ability to withstand chemical reactions (stainless steel, gold)
  • Combustibility measures how readily substance undergoes combustion reaction (wood, natural gas)

Extensive vs intensive properties

• Extensive properties depend on amount of matter present
  • Mass measures quantity of matter (1 kg of water vs 10 kg of water)
  • Volume measures space occupied by substance (1 L of water vs 10 L of water)
  • Energy measures capacity to do work or transfer heat (1 J vs 10 J)
  • Heat capacity measures energy required to raise temperature (4.18 J/g·℃ for water)
  • Additive property: total value equals sum of individual parts (mass of mixture equals sum of component masses)
• Intensive properties independent of amount of matter present
  • Density relates mass to volume (water at 1 g/mL regardless of quantity)
  • Melting point temperature at which solid becomes liquid (ice melts at 0 ℃ for any amount)
  • Boiling point temperature at which liquid becomes gas (water boils at 100 ℃ for any volume)
  • Specific heat capacity relates heat capacity to mass (water at 4.18 J/g·℃ for any mass)
  • Refractive index measures how much light bends when passing through substance (1.33 for water regardless of amount)

Periodic Table and Properties

Organization of periodic table

• Periodic table arranges elements by increasing atomic number
  • Periods are horizontal rows (period 1 has 2 elements, period 2 has 8 elements)
  • Groups are vertical columns (group 1 contains alkali metals, group 18 contains noble gases)
• Periodic trends show how properties vary across periods and down groups
  1. Atomic radius decreases across period (larger positive charge attracts electrons more strongly) and increases down group (additional electron shells)
  2. Ionization energy increases across period (harder to remove electron from more positive nucleus) and decreases down group (larger atomic radius)
  3. Electronegativity increases across period (stronger attraction for shared electrons) and decreases down group (larger atomic radius)
• Conductivity relates to position on periodic table
  • Metals on left side conduct heat and electricity well (valence electrons delocalized)
    • Examples: copper wiring, silver jewelry, gold coins, aluminum foil
  • Nonmetals on right side poor conductors (valence electrons tightly bound)
    • Examples: carbon (graphite), sulfur, oxygen gas, chlorine gas
  • Metalloids along zigzag line separating metals and nonmetals exhibit intermediate properties
    • Examples: silicon in semiconductors, germanium in transistors, arsenic in semiconductors, antimony in flame retardants

Atomic Structure and Chemical Bonding

• Atomic structure influences chemical properties and bonding behavior
  • Electron configuration determines reactivity and bonding patterns
  • Valence electrons participate in chemical reactions and bonding
• Chemical bonding affects physical and chemical properties
  • Ionic bonds form between metals and nonmetals, resulting in high melting points and electrical conductivity in solution
  • Covalent bonds form between nonmetals, influencing molecular structure and reactivity
  • Metallic bonds in pure metals contribute to their conductivity and malleability

Thermodynamics and Chemical Reactions

• Thermodynamics governs energy changes in chemical reactions
  • Exothermic reactions release heat to surroundings (combustion, neutralization)
  • Endothermic reactions absorb heat from surroundings (photosynthesis, melting ice)
• Chemical reactions involve changes in chemical properties
  • Reactants transform into products with different compositions and properties
  • Reaction rates and equilibrium are influenced by temperature, concentration, and catalysts