This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2017) |
A physical property is any property of a physical system that is measurable. The changes in the physical properties of a system can be used to describe its changes between momentary states. A quantifiable physical property is called physical quantity. Measurable physical quantities are often referred to as observables. Some physical properties are qualitative, such as shininess, brittleness, etc.; some general qualitative properties admit more specific related quantitative properties, such as in opacity, hardness, ductility, viscosity, etc.
Physical properties are often characterized as intensive and extensive properties. An intensive property does not depend on the size or extent of the system, nor on the amount of matter in the object, while an extensive property shows an additive relationship. These classifications are in general only valid in cases when smaller subdivisions of the sample do not interact in some physical or chemical process when combined.
Properties may also be classified with respect to the directionality of their nature. For example, isotropic properties do not change with the direction of observation, and anisotropic properties do have spatial variance.
It may be difficult to determine whether a given property is a material property or not. Color, for example, can be seen and measured; however, what one perceives as color is really an interpretation of the reflective properties of a surface and the light used to illuminate it. In this sense, many ostensibly physical properties are called supervenient. A supervenient property is one which is actual, but is secondary to some underlying reality. This is similar to the way in which objects are supervenient on atomic structure. A cup might have the physical properties of mass, shape, color, temperature, etc., but these properties are supervenient on the underlying atomic structure, which may in turn be supervenient on an underlying quantum structure.
Physical properties are contrasted with chemical properties which determine the way a material behaves in a chemical reaction.
List of properties
The physical properties of an object that are traditionally defined by classical mechanics are often called mechanical properties. Other broad categories, commonly cited, are electrical properties, optical properties, thermal properties, etc. Physical properties include:
- absorption (physical)
- absorption (electromagnetic)
- albedo
- angular momentum
- area
- boiling point
- brittleness
- capacitance
- color
- concentration
- density
- dielectric
- ductility
- distribution
- efficacy
- elasticity
- electric charge
- electrical conductivity
- electrical impedance
- electric field
- electric potential
- emission
- flow rate (mass)
- flow rate (volume)
- fluidity
- frequency
- hardness
- heat capacity
- inductance
- intrinsic impedance
- intensity
- irradiance
- length
- location
- luminance
- luminescence
- luster
- malleability
- magnetic field
- magnetic flux
- mass
- melting point
- moment
- momentum
- opacity
- permeability
- permittivity
- plasticity
- pressure
- radiance
- resistivity
- reflectivity
- refractive index
- solubility
- specific heat
- spin
- strength
- stiffness
- temperature
- tension
- thermal conductivity (and resistance)
- velocity
- viscosity
- volume
- wave impedance
See also
- List of materials properties
- Physical quantity
- Physical test
- Test method
References
- Mark, Burgin (2016-10-27). Theory Of Knowledge: Structures And Processes. World Scientific. ISBN 9789814522694. Archived from the original on 2017-12-25.
- "Physical Properties". Department of Chemistry - Elmhurst College. Archived from the original on 2016-11-19. Retrieved 2017-01-17.
Bibliography
- Cesare Emiliani (1987). Dictionary of the Physical Sciences: Terms, Formulas, Data. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-503651-0.
- Robert A. Meyers (2001). Encyclopedia of Physical Science and Technology (3rd ed.). Academic Press.
External links
- Physical and Chemical Property Data Sources Archived 2011-08-04 at the Wayback Machine – a list of references which cover several chemical and physical properties of various materials
This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Physical property news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2017 Learn how and when to remove this message A physical property is any property of a physical system that is measurable The changes in the physical properties of a system can be used to describe its changes between momentary states A quantifiable physical property is called physical quantity Measurable physical quantities are often referred to as observables Some physical properties are qualitative such as shininess brittleness etc some general qualitative properties admit more specific related quantitative properties such as in opacity hardness ductility viscosity etc Physical properties are often characterized as intensive and extensive properties An intensive property does not depend on the size or extent of the system nor on the amount of matter in the object while an extensive property shows an additive relationship These classifications are in general only valid in cases when smaller subdivisions of the sample do not interact in some physical or chemical process when combined Properties may also be classified with respect to the directionality of their nature For example isotropic properties do not change with the direction of observation and anisotropic properties do have spatial variance It may be difficult to determine whether a given property is a material property or not Color for example can be seen and measured however what one perceives as color is really an interpretation of the reflective properties of a surface and the light used to illuminate it In this sense many ostensibly physical properties are called supervenient A supervenient property is one which is actual but is secondary to some underlying reality This is similar to the way in which objects are supervenient on atomic structure A cup might have the physical properties of mass shape color temperature etc but these properties are supervenient on the underlying atomic structure which may in turn be supervenient on an underlying quantum structure Physical properties are contrasted with chemical properties which determine the way a material behaves in a chemical reaction List of propertiesThe physical properties of an object that are traditionally defined by classical mechanics are often called mechanical properties Other broad categories commonly cited are electrical properties optical properties thermal properties etc Physical properties include absorption physical absorption electromagnetic albedo angular momentum area boiling point brittleness capacitance color concentration density dielectric ductility distribution efficacy elasticity electric charge electrical conductivity electrical impedance electric field electric potential emission flow rate mass flow rate volume fluidity frequency hardness heat capacity inductance intrinsic impedance intensity irradiance length location luminance luminescence luster malleability magnetic field magnetic flux mass melting point moment momentum opacity permeability permittivity plasticity pressure radiance resistivity reflectivity refractive index solubility specific heat spin strength stiffness temperature tension thermal conductivity and resistance velocity viscosity volume wave impedanceSee alsoList of materials properties Physical quantity Physical test Test methodReferencesMark Burgin 2016 10 27 Theory Of Knowledge Structures And Processes World Scientific ISBN 9789814522694 Archived from the original on 2017 12 25 Physical Properties Department of Chemistry Elmhurst College Archived from the original on 2016 11 19 Retrieved 2017 01 17 BibliographyCesare Emiliani 1987 Dictionary of the Physical Sciences Terms Formulas Data Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0 19 503651 0 Robert A Meyers 2001 Encyclopedia of Physical Science and Technology 3rd ed Academic Press External linksPhysical and Chemical Property Data Sources Archived 2011 08 04 at the Wayback Machine a list of references which cover several chemical and physical properties of various materials
