Physical Properties

Observe, Describe, and Measure

What are physical properties?

• A physical property is a property or characteristic of and object or substance that can be observed, described, and measured without changing the matter.

Common Physical Properties• Length: how long or tall an object is.• Mass: the amount of matter in an object.• Area: the amount of surface inside a closed

boundary.• Perimeter: the distance around an object.• Texture: how an object feels.• Taste• Odor• Color• Elasticity: the elasticity of an object is its ability to

return to normal shape and size• Density: A measure of the amount of matter in a

given volume. Density does not change with the amount of matter measured.

How To Observe/Measure Physical Properties

• Use a ruler or a tape measure to measure length. Units include feet, inches, meters, centimeters, ect.

• Use a scale to measure mass. Units include grams, kilograms, ect.

• To measure area of a rectangle, measure the lengths of two adjacent sides and multiply them together. Units include feet2 (or square feet), inches2, meters2, centimeters2, ect.

How To Observe/Measure Physical Properties, cont’d

• To measure perimeter, measure around an object.

• To observe texture, feel the object with your hands.

• To observe elasticity, try to bend or stretch the object to see if it returns to it’s normal shape and size.

How are Physical Properties Used?

• Physical properties are used to identify and classify substances and materials.

• Scientists VERY CAREFULLY observe, describe, and measure substances and materials in order to identify them or classify them.

Amounts and Physical Properties• Some physical properties

stay the same no matter how much material/substance is present.– This includes taste, odor,

color, texture, and elasticity.

• Other properties change when the amount of material/substance changes.– This includes length, mass,

area, and perimeter.