Extensive/Intensive
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Extensive/Intensive
Can someone explain the difference and why it is important to know this property?
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Re: Extensive/Intensive
Intensive properties do not depend on the amount of matter that is present whereas extensive properties do depend on the amount of matter that is present. Examples of intensive properties include boiling point, color, and odor. Examples of extensive properties include volume, mass, and size. It is good to know that all physical properties are either intensive or extensive, and that the ratio of any two extensive properties is an intensive property.
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Re: Extensive/Intensive
The way I remember the difference is that extensive sounds like extension and the amount something extends into space is dependent on how much of something there is just like and extensive property is. Intensive I remember by it sounding liking inside, so all that matters is what is inside the object/substance not how much of it there is.
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Re: Extensive/Intensive
All the replies above are pretty accurate. I also think it's important not to get mixed up between chemical properties and physical ones. Just remember that intensive and extensive properties are just like sub-categories of physical properties too (that is because properties like color, mass, and volume are all physical). Just another thing to remember if that wasn't clear before! :)
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Re: Extensive/Intensive
Extensive: depends on the amount of matter present
Intensive: does not depend on the amount of matter in a substance
It is important to know the properties because since all things are made up of matter it is necessary to understand these characteristics for calculations and whether or not a chemical reaction will occur between two types of substances.
Intensive: does not depend on the amount of matter in a substance
It is important to know the properties because since all things are made up of matter it is necessary to understand these characteristics for calculations and whether or not a chemical reaction will occur between two types of substances.
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Re: Extensive/Intensive
The extensive properties scale directly with size, i.e. if the size of a system doubles, the value of an extensive property simply doubles as well. Intensive properties, on the other hand, would simply remain constant, whether the system size is doubled, tripled, or changed in any way. This distinction and the relationships between extensive and intensive properties are very important for mechanics, especially in the study of fluids. The ratio of any two extensive properties is an intensive property. The most common example is density, which is the ratio of mass and volume (both extensive) but is itself intensive, since it does not change as the amount of a substance changes.
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