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Extensive vs. Intensive
Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2019 11:53 am
by Rian Montagh 2K
What is the difference between an extensive and intensive property? I know general heat capacity in extensive and specific heat capacity is intensive, but what do these words mean?
Re: Extensive vs. Intensive
Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2019 12:03 pm
by Gary Qiao 1D
Extensive means that the properties can change based on the amount of substance (so conditions such as mass and volume), while intensive means that the properties are independent of the amount of substance (so mass and volume would not change an intensive value).
Re: Extensive vs. Intensive
Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2019 10:36 am
by Brian Chang 2H
Extensive properties are tied to external factors (such as mass and volume), whereas intensive properties (hardness, colour, boiling point) do not change with the amount of substance.
Re: Extensive vs. Intensive
Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2019 3:10 pm
by megan blatt 2B
Extensive properties are reliant upon the amount of substance present. For example, mass is an extensive property. Intensive properties are not reliant upon the amount of substance that is present and is intrinsic to the substance. General heat capacity is extensive because it is not divided by the mass of the substance so it changes depending on how much of the substance is present. Specific heat capacity is measured "per gram" so it holds the same value no matter how much of the substance is present.
Re: Extensive vs. Intensive
Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2019 3:37 pm
by Julia Lee
Wait so what are extrinsic and intrinsic properties than? Are how are they different than extensive and intensive properties?
Re: Extensive vs. Intensive
Posted: Thu Jan 31, 2019 5:18 pm
by Ariel Cheng 2I
I am not entirely sure about extrinsic versus intrinsic though I think they are similar. Intrinsic properties are ones that do not depend on outside factors / amount of substance such as boiling point/density whereas extrinsic properties depend on outside factors / amount of substance such as weight or mass.