GENERAL AND SPECIFIC PROPERTIES OF MATTER - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The properties of matter are those characteristics that allow the matter or a substance to be identified. All matter has four general properties: mass, weight, volume, and density. These are the measurable characteristics that identify any subject in broad terms.

On the other hand, specific properties are those that specifically determine the different types of materials; basically they are those special characteristics that differentiate the matter.

There are many specific properties such as gloss, adhesion, hardness, viscosity, malleability, elasticity, color, odor, solubility, texture, shape, conductivity, surface tension, weakness, and thermal expansion, among others.

General properties of matter

Mass

Mass is the amount of matter in an object and it never changes, unless matter is removed from it.

This property has a direct relationship with inertia. Inertia is the resistance to movement of an object. If an object has more mass, then it has more inertia.

Volume

Every object or thing that takes up space has volume. Volume is the amount of space an object occupies.

Liters and millimeters are used to measure the volume of liquids, while cubic centimeters are used to measure solid objects.

Density

It is the property that is determined by dividing the mass of a substance by its volume. It is often measured in units of grams per milliliter. The density of a substance is the same regardless of its quantity.

For example, the density of pure gold is 19.3 g / mL. This means that it does not matter if you have 0.5 grams or 200 grams of pure gold, the density will always be 19.3 f / mL. For that reason, jewelers can identify pure gold.

Density is very important as it allows two objects to be compared. For example, water has a density of 1 g / cc and wood has 0.8 g / cc. Therefore, wood will float on water, since its density is less than that of water.

The equation for density is as follows: Density = Mass / Volume.

Weight

Weight is defined as the measure of the force of attraction between objects due to gravity. Gravity is the force that makes us stay on the ground.

Unlike mass, weight does change depending on where it is; the further from the center of the Earth an object is, the less weight it has.

The weight equation is: Weight = Mass x Gravity Acceleration.

Specific properties of matter

Hardness

Hardness is the opposition that materials offer to physical disturbances such as penetration, abrasion and scratching.

Cohesion

Cohesion is the ability of molecules of the same substance to attract each other. For example, two drops of water can be combined into one larger drop.

Fragility

It is the ability of a substance to crumble when it is hit.

For example, objects such as ceramics, glass or dishes are hard but break easily.

Malleability

It refers to the ability of a material to be crushed into thin sheets; basically it is the ability of an object to be molded or bent in some particular shape.

Generally, malleability is measured in metals.

Ductility

It is the ability of a material to be extracted or transformed into fine cables that can withstand the transmission of heat energy.

Odor

Smell refers to how matter smells to the human brain.

Permeability

It is the ability of matter to absorb some liquid. A material is said to be impermeable when liquid cannot penetrate through it.

Flexibility

It refers to the ability of a material to bend without breaking.

Texture

Texture is how the surface of matter feels: smooth or porous.

Conductivity

It is the ability of a material to transmit electricity or heat.

Solubility

It is the ability of a material to be dissolved in another material. For example, salt dissolves in water; but sand is insoluble in this material, so its particles remain floating in that substance.

Tension force

The amount of force a material can receive before breaking.

Elasticity

Elasticity is the ability of an object to be stretched and then formed or returned back to its original shape.

Brightness

It refers to the ability of a material or substance to shine. It is the visual property that a matter has to shine when light is reflected in it. If a material does not shine, it means that it is opaque.

Color

Colors are a mental perception of the wavelengths of visible light detected by the eye. Visible light is made up of a wavelength that varies continuously without any intrinsic color and color vision is perceived by the cones - photosensitive cells of the retina - and the neurons that connect them to the brain.

Viscosity

Viscosity corresponds to the informal concept of "thickness". For example, honey has a much higher viscosity than water.

Tension surface

It is the measure of the resistance that a liquid puts up to break its surface.

Thermal expansion

It is the expansion that matter has when it is heated.

Shape

The shape is a two-dimensional outline that characterizes an object, in contrast to a three-dimensional shape.

Flotation capacity

It refers to how easy it is for matter to float in a liquid.