Which describes the difference between extensive and intensive properties?

Extensive properties are those that depend on the amount of matter present in a system. Common examples include mass, volume, and total energy. As you increase the quantity of a substance, these properties increase accordingly, demonstrating a direct relationship to the matter involved.

On the other hand, intensive properties do not depend on the size or quantity of the material. Instead, they are inherent to the substance itself, regardless of how much of it is present. Examples of intensive properties include temperature, pressure, and density. These properties remain constant whether you have a large sample or just a tiny portion of the material.

Understanding this distinction is crucial in thermodynamics and various fields of science, as it helps in categorizing and analyzing the properties of substances under investigation. This foundational concept allows scientists and engineers to differentiate how different properties will change with varying amounts of matter, which is essential for calculations and predictions in thermodynamic processes.