The defining characteristic of chemical properties is that you need to change your sample in order to observe them. Flammability, for example - whether something will catch fire when heat is applied - or it’s susceptibility to corrosion are examples of chemical properties. Chemical properties, on the other hand, are only observable if you change your matter sample. You can see and measure things like color, mass and volume without having to heat it up or introduce additional material to change the composition. You can see physical properties without altering the composition. Scientists determine the properties by how they can observe them.

When we’re talking about the properties of matter, we can break them down into two categories - chemical and physical. We’ve gone over the three primary states of matter - solid, liquid and gas - as well as some of the less-common states, but what about the properties? What makes matter…matter? Let’s take a closer look at the different properties of matter and see how they affect the world around them. Learn more here.Įverything around you, from the clothes on your back to the phone in your pocket, is made up matter. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commision.

What is a property of matter