Define a physical property.

Define a physical property.

• A. A property that changes the identity of a material
• B. A property that is visible only in living organisms
• C. A characteristic of a material that can be observed without changing the identity of the material itself. An example is color, luster, odor, malleability, and conductivity.
• D. A property that describes how energy flows

Answer: (C)

Physical properties are characteristics of a material that can be observed or measured without changing its identity. You can describe or test them while the substance remains the same. Color, luster, odor, malleability, and conductivity are classic examples—you can observe color, feel how it can be shaped, notice odors, and test whether it conducts electricity without turning the material into something else. This distinguishes them from properties that would alter what the material is (chemical properties) or ideas about energy flow, which describe processes rather than a material’s inherent attributes. So, the description that lists observable features like color, luster, odor, malleability, and conductivity as things you can observe without changing the material is the best definition of a physical property.

Physical properties are characteristics of a material that can be observed or measured without changing its identity. You can describe or test them while the substance remains the same. Color, luster, odor, malleability, and conductivity are classic examples—you can observe color, feel how it can be shaped, notice odors, and test whether it conducts electricity without turning the material into something else. This distinguishes them from properties that would alter what the material is (chemical properties) or ideas about energy flow, which describe processes rather than a material’s inherent attributes. So, the description that lists observable features like color, luster, odor, malleability, and conductivity as things you can observe without changing the material is the best definition of a physical property.