Physical property facts for kids

A physical property is a way to describe an object or material. You can measure or observe a physical property without changing what the object is made of. For example, you can measure the length of a pencil without turning it into something else.

There are two main types of physical properties: intensive and extensive.

• Intensive physical properties do not depend on how much of the object there is. Imagine you have a small rock and a big rock. Both rocks will be equally hard. So, hardness, softness, and speed are intensive physical properties.
• Extensive physical properties change depending on how much of the object you have. A small rock weighs less than a large rock. So, volume, total mass, and weight are extensive physical properties.

Physical properties are different from chemical properties. Chemical properties describe how a material acts in a chemical reaction, like if it will burn or rust.

What Are Physical Properties?

Physical properties are things we can observe or measure about an object without changing its basic makeup. These properties help us understand what an object is like.

Mechanical Properties

Many physical properties are called mechanical properties. These are often described using classical mechanics, which is a branch of physics. They tell us how an object behaves when forces are applied to it.

Other Types of Properties

Besides mechanical properties, there are other groups like electrical properties, optical properties, and thermal properties.

Examples of Physical Properties

Here are some common examples of physical properties:

See also

In Spanish: Propiedad física para niños