Understanding of Physical Properties in Materials Science
In the field of material science, the testing and evaluation of physical properties of a substance holds immense value. With that being said, it is common to spot the physical properties measurement system in a fully-equipped material science laboratory.
However, have you ever pondered the question of what physical properties actually mean? Well, if you are interested to have an understanding of physical properties then let us tell you that it is those basic properties that you can see most readily in a substance.
These are the characteristics in a matter which can be examined and measured with the use of an appropriate system instrument. Keep reading till the end to find out more about physical properties.
What does Physical Properties of a matter mean?
It means the general effects of a substance which can be measured and are most readily seen. For example, the state of a matter (liquid, solid or gas), mass, size, density, strength and more.
Values of physical properties can be obtained by conducting suitable tests which don't change the substance when being tested. The sample of a substance that is measured or tested does not alter its chemical identity. Yes, it might impact the matter’s arrangement in the sample but has no change in the structure of its molecules.
A material’s physical properties are extensively studied in the materials science field and poses to be a prime factor in the process of material selection when selecting the right materials for any construction.
Physical properties are observable and measurable. Physical properties that are quantifiable are referred to as a physical quantity. It is closely examined alongside chemical properties of a material for determining the way a material behaves when there’s a chemical reaction.
Categories of Physical Properties
There are essentially two categories of physical properties –
i. Extensive Property – This is based on the sample’s size, for example, variables such as volume, shape or mass.
ii. Intensive Property – It is the one that is not based on sample’s size or amount. Intensive property is the definite characteristic of a material. It doesn’t alter no matter how much matter is found. For example, density or melting point of a substance.
Other than these, physical properties are also often categorized on the basis of a material’s directionality of their nature. For instance, anisotropic properties consist of spatial variance whereas isotropic properties don't alter with the direction of observation.
Supervenient Properties
Sometimes it is challenging to determine whether a certain property is a physical property or not. For example, even though color is a property that can be seen and measured, it is also an exposition of reflective properties.
This is the reason why many physical properties that are ostensible are referred to as Supervenient Properties. It is a property in a substance that is considered to be actual, however, secondary in terms of an underlying reality.
The Physical Properties Measurement System
It is a one-of-a-kind concept used in a materials science laboratory that has a variable temperature-field, open architecture system. It is used for the purpose of conducting automated measurements and is primarily operated for magnetization measurement of a matter.
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