Which statement describes an intensive property of matter?
A It is the same for every sample o single substance.
B It depends on how a substance was formed.
C It is the same for every sample of every substance.
D It depends on the amount of substance present.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is A: It is the same for every sample of a single substance.
Explanation:
Properties of matter can be classified into two types: intensive properties and extensive properties.
- Intensive properties are independent of the amount of substance present. This means that no matter how much of the substance you have, these properties will remain the same. Examples of intensive properties include density, boiling point, melting point, color, and electrical conductivity. For example, the density of water is 1 gram per cubic centimeter, regardless of whether you have 1 milliliter or 100 liters of water. Similarly, the boiling point of water remains at 100°C at standard atmospheric pressure, regardless of the quantity of water being boiled.
- Extensive properties, on the other hand, depend on the quantity or amount of substance present. Examples of extensive properties include mass, volume, and total energy. For instance, the mass of water changes depending on whether you have 1 gram or 100 grams of water.
Now, let’s analyze the options:
- Option A (“It is the same for every sample of a single substance.”) correctly describes an intensive property because intensive properties do not change with the amount of substance. Whether you have a small or large sample, properties like boiling point or density remain consistent.
- Option B (“It depends on how a substance was formed.”) describes neither an intensive nor extensive property but refers more to chemical history or formation conditions.
- Option C (“It is the same for every sample of every substance.”) would be incorrect because intensive properties are specific to a particular substance and vary between different substances.
- Option D (“It depends on the amount of substance present.”) describes an extensive property, not an intensive one.
Thus, the correct statement is A because intensive properties are consistent for all samples of the same substance.