Intensive vs Extensive Properties Comparison Table
Difference Between Intensive and Extensive Properties is one of the most important foundational topics in Physical Chemistry. This concept is crucial for understanding the behavior of matter, thermodynamics, and various real-world applications in chemistry. Let's explore these properties in detail to help you prepare for JEE Main, NEET, and school exams, and deepen your conceptual clarity.
What is Difference Between Intensive and Extensive Properties in Chemistry?
The difference between intensive and extensive properties is a basic classification of physical properties of matter. Intensive properties do not depend on the amount of substance present. Examples include temperature, density, and pressure. Extensive properties depend on the size or quantity of the material, such as mass, volume, and enthalpy. Understanding these differences is vital for studying physical properties of matter, thermodynamics, and properties of solutions.
Definitions of Intensive and Extensive Properties
Intensive properties are physical properties that remain the same regardless of the amount of matter. For example, the boiling point of water is always 100°C (at 1 atm), whether you have 1 mL or 1 litre.
- Independent of mass or quantity
- Used to identify substances
- Examples: temperature, pressure, density, color, refractive index
Extensive properties are physical properties that change when the amount of matter changes. For example, the mass of a substance increases if more of it is taken.
- Dependent on mass or size
- Additive for the whole system (sum for subsystems)
- Examples: mass, volume, enthalpy, entropy, weight, length
Comparison Table: Intensive vs Extensive Properties
| Feature | Intensive Property | Extensive Property |
|---|---|---|
| Depends on Quantity? | No | Yes |
| Common Examples | Density, boiling point, pressure, color | Mass, volume, energy, enthalpy |
| Additive Across System? | No | Yes |
| Typical Use | Identify substances | Measure amount |
| Changes with Division? | Stays Same | Decreases |
- Examples of intensive: Temperature, Pressure, Density, Refractive Index, Concentration
- Examples of extensive: Mass, Volume, Energy, Entropy, Enthalpy
Real-World Examples & Applications
Let’s look at practical scenarios to strengthen your understanding of the difference between intensive and extensive properties:
- Boiling point of 100 mL or 1 L of water remains 100°C (intensive).
- Mass of copper is extensive – if you cut a bar in half, mass halves.
- Density of a gold bar and gold coin is the same – intensive.
- Refractive index is intensive – does not change with amount.
- Enthalpy or heat content scales up when quantity increases (extensive).
Thermodynamics Connection
In thermodynamics, distinguishing between intensive and extensive properties is fundamental. State functions like enthalpy (extensive) and temperature (intensive) feature in thermodynamic equations. It also helps to classify chemical systems, solve problems, and understand laws associated with heat and work. For example, density (intensive) is used to derive other useful properties, while total internal energy (extensive) is the sum over the system.
Easy Tricks to Distinguish
- If dividing the system divides the value, it’s extensive.
- If merging two systems keeps the value unchanged, it’s intensive.
- Ratio of two extensive properties yields an intensive property (e.g., mass/volume = density).
- Mnemonic: "Intensive stays INdependent; Extensive EXpands with size."
Summary Table: Intensive and Extensive Property List
| Property | Type | Property | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mass | Extensive | Temperature | Intensive |
| Volume | Extensive | Pressure | Intensive |
| Enthalpy | Extensive | Density | Intensive |
| Entropy | Extensive | Color | Intensive |
| Length | Extensive | Boiling Point | Intensive |
| Energy | Extensive | Refractive Index | Intensive |
Frequent Related Errors
- Mixing up which properties change with system size (e.g., thinking density is extensive – it is intensive).
- Confusing state functions like temperature (intensive) and internal energy (extensive).
- Not recognizing derived properties: Sometimes, students do not realize why dividing two extensive leads to intensive (e.g., density = mass/volume).
Uses of Difference Between Intensive and Extensive Properties in Real Life
These concepts help scientists and engineers select materials for specific uses, calculate yields, and predict chemical behavior. In industry, the density (intensive) guides quality control, while mass (extensive) determines quantities in reactions, packaging, and transport. In labs, understanding if a property is intensive or extensive helps with accurate measurement and reporting.
Relevance in Competitive Exams
Knowing the difference between intensive and extensive properties is key for multiple-choice and concept-based questions in JEE Main, NEET, and Class 11/12 chemistry exams. Questions may ask about property classification, identify which variable is intensive, or applications in thermodynamics chapters.
Relation with Other Chemistry Concepts
Understanding intensive and extensive properties supports learning topics like physical and chemical properties differences, state and path functions, the law of mass action, and energy changes in reactions. This idea links structure, identification, and measurement in chemistry.
Step-by-Step Reaction Example
1. Suppose you have a sample of pure water.2. Measure its mass and volume: both are extensive—if you double the sample, both mass and volume double.
3. Calculate the density: divide mass by volume to get density (intensive). If the sample is split, each piece still has the same density.
4. Final Answer: Mass and volume are extensive; their ratio (density) is intensive.
Lab or Experimental Tips
A quick check: If you mix two beakers of the same liquid, properties like mass and energy add up—these are extensive. If color, density, or temperature stays the same, they are intensive. Vedantu educators use visual and practical experiments to help students quickly identify property types.
Try This Yourself
- Is pressure intensive or extensive? Explain with a lab scenario.
- Find two extensive and two intensive properties of copper in your home.
- Divide both mass and volume by half—what happens to density?
Final Wrap-Up
We have explored the difference between intensive and extensive properties with clear definitions, tables, tricks, and examples. Remember, this distinction is vital in identifying, researching, and applying fundamental chemistry concepts. For more in-depth practice, live classes, and doubt-solving, explore notes and resources on Vedantu.
Explore more related topics below to strengthen your chemistry foundation:
- Physical Properties of Matter
- Thermodynamics
- Difference Between Physical and Chemical Properties
- Law of Mass Action
FAQs on Intensive vs Extensive Properties Explained with Examples
1. What are intensive and extensive properties in Chemistry?
In chemistry, intensive properties are physical properties that do not depend on the amount of substance present. Examples include temperature, pressure, density, and boiling point. Extensive properties, on the other hand, *do* depend on the amount of substance. Examples include mass, volume, and enthalpy. The key difference lies in whether the property changes when you increase or decrease the amount of the material.
2. Can you list 5 examples each of intensive and extensive properties?
Here are five examples of each property type:
Intensive Properties:
- Temperature
- Pressure
- Density
- Boiling Point
- Refractive Index
Extensive Properties:
- Mass
- Volume
- Length
- Heat Capacity
- Energy
3. Why is density considered an intensive property?
Density is intensive because it's the ratio of two extensive properties: mass and volume. Even if you have a larger sample of a substance, the ratio of its mass to its volume (its density) remains constant. Density is an intrinsic characteristic of the material itself, not dependent on the quantity you're measuring.
4. How are these properties used in thermodynamics?
Intensive and extensive properties are fundamental in thermodynamics. Extensive properties like volume and internal energy describe the overall state of a system, while intensive properties like temperature and pressure help define the system's equilibrium conditions and are useful for characterizing phases and transitions. Their relationship helps to calculate other important thermodynamic parameters like entropy and Gibbs free energy.
5. Is energy an intensive or extensive property? Why?
Energy (e.g., internal energy, enthalpy) is an extensive property. The total energy of a system increases proportionally with its size or the amount of substance present. A larger system will have a greater total energy.
6. How can some properties, like molar volume, be both derived from intensive and extensive variables?
Molar volume is a good example. It's calculated by dividing the extensive property of volume by the extensive property of moles (amount of substance). However, the result, molar volume, is an intensive property, characteristic of the substance itself, regardless of the quantity involved. This demonstrates that the combination of extensive variables can yield intensive ones.
7. Are there properties that change type under different system conditions?
While many properties are consistently intensive or extensive, some can exhibit changes under certain conditions. For example, the behavior of certain properties at extreme temperatures or pressures can cause deviations from the typical classifications. This depends on the nature of the intermolecular interactions and the overall state of the substance.
8. Why do equations use extensive variables more often than intensive ones?
Extensive variables are often preferred in thermodynamic equations because they directly reflect the system's overall size and therefore, the scale of the processes. While intensive properties are useful for determining the state, extensive properties are directly involved in calculating the total amount of heat transferred, work done, and other macroscopic changes in the system.
9. How does the classification affect lab experiment design?
Understanding the difference between intensive and extensive properties is crucial for experimental design. When choosing measurement techniques, choosing measurements related to intensive properties often simplifies data analysis, as they're independent of the sample size. Measuring and interpreting extensive properties often necessitates accounting for varying sample sizes.
10. Are there exceptions to the classification of physical properties?
While the classification of properties as intensive or extensive is very helpful, it's not absolute. Some properties can exhibit borderline behavior or have complexities that make strict categorization challenging. The classification primarily serves as a useful model for understanding and predicting the behavior of systems. In unusual conditions, properties may deviate from the standard classification.
