An intensive property is a physical or chemical property of a substance that does not depend on the amount or size of the substance present. This means its value remains the same regardless of how much of the material you have. Examples of intensive properties include temperature, density, color, boiling point, pressure, and refractive index
. In contrast to extensive properties, which change with the quantity of matter (such as mass or volume), intensive properties remain constant when the system size changes. For instance, the boiling point of water is 100°C at one atmosphere pressure whether you have a cup or a swimming pool of water
. Intensive properties are often ratios of extensive properties. For example, density is the mass (extensive) divided by volume (extensive), resulting in an intensive property that is independent of the amount of substance
Key points:
- Definition: Property independent of the amount of substance.
- Examples: Temperature, density, color, boiling point, pressure.
- Use: Helps identify substances since these properties are characteristic and constant for a given material.
- Relation to extensive properties: Often derived as ratios of extensive properties.
This distinction is fundamental in thermodynamics and material science for characterizing and understanding substances
