Which of the following best describes an extensive property?

Which of the following best describes an extensive property?

• A. A property that does not depend on the size of the system
• B. A property that is directly proportional to the size of the system
• C. A property that varies with temperature
• D. A property that cannot be measured

Answer: (B)

An extensive property is defined as a property that is directly proportional to the size or amount of a substance in a system. This means that as the quantity of matter increases or decreases, the value of the extensive property will change accordingly. Common examples of extensive properties include mass, volume, and total energy. For instance, if you double the amount of a substance, you would also double its mass and volume, illustrating the nature of these properties being dependent on the size of the system. In contrast, intensive properties, such as density or temperature, do not depend on the amount of substance present; they remain constant regardless of the system size. This fundamental distinction is crucial in thermodynamics and physical chemistry for understanding how different properties behave under various conditions.

An extensive property is defined as a property that is directly proportional to the size or amount of a substance in a system. This means that as the quantity of matter increases or decreases, the value of the extensive property will change accordingly. Common examples of extensive properties include mass, volume, and total energy. For instance, if you double the amount of a substance, you would also double its mass and volume, illustrating the nature of these properties being dependent on the size of the system.

In contrast, intensive properties, such as density or temperature, do not depend on the amount of substance present; they remain constant regardless of the system size. This fundamental distinction is crucial in thermodynamics and physical chemistry for understanding how different properties behave under various conditions.