What are the Physical and Chemical Properties of Matter?

Lukas Kovarik/Shutterstock.com

Everything around you is matter. Matter is all of the stuff in the universe. It has mass and takes up space. The sloth and trees in this picture are matter. The air around the sloth is matter too. There are many different physical and chemical properties of matter.

Physical and Chemical Properties of Matter

All matter has both physical and chemical properties. Physical properties are how something looks, feels, smells, sounds or tastes. 

udaix/Shutterstock.com

Unlike physical properties, we cannot easily observe the chemical properties of a substance. We can only detect chemical properties during a chemical reaction. Chemical properties describe how the atoms of an element can change.

Physical and Chemical Changes

Ivory27/Shutterstock.com

The properties of an object or substance can change. Changes can either be physical or chemical. Physical changes may change what it looks like, but the atoms and molecules stay the same. During a chemical change, the atoms or molecules change form.

Water freezing is an example of a physical change because the individual molecules of water do not change. Since the individual molecules or atoms do not change during a physical change, physical changes are easily reversible. Water that freezes and becomes ice can melt and return to liquid water.

Unlike physical changes, chemical changes are not easily reversible because the atoms and molecules transform into something new. For example, when iron is exposed to water and oxygen, it turns into rust. This chemical change is not easily reversible. 

Both physical and chemical changes can change the physical properties of a substance. For example, fruit rotting is an example of a chemical change that affects the color, shape, size, and odor. Breaking a glass is an example of a physical change that changes the glass’s shape and size.

udaix/Shutterstock.com

Physical and Chemical Properties Digital Science Unit

If you want to learn about physical and chemical properties of matter then you have to do more than read about it once. My digital science unit on physical and chemical properties teaches the same information in this blog post, but it also includes activities to help your process and remember the material.

Click the picture below to check of the digital science unit at Teachers Pay Teachers.

You can get back to my Matter Homepage to check out more information and resources related to learning about matter!

Matter

#chemicalproperties #physicalchanges