What is an extensive property?

An extensive property is defined as a property that depends on the amount of matter present in a sample. This means that the value of an extensive property will change when the size or quantity of the material changes. Common examples of extensive properties include mass, volume, and total energy. For instance, if you have a large piece of material, it will have more mass and volume compared to a smaller piece of the same material. This characteristic is crucial in thermodynamics because it helps in understanding how systems behave when they are scaled up or down.

In contrast, extensive properties are fundamentally different from intensive properties, which do not depend on the amount of matter. Understanding the distinction between these types of properties is essential in thermodynamic studies as it influences calculations and predictions about the behavior of substances in various processes.