Chemical properties are any of the properties of matter that can only be observed and measured by performing a chemical change or chemical reaction. Chemical properties cannot be determined by touching or viewing a sample; the structure of the sample must be altered for the chemical properties to be evident.
Examples of Chemical Properties
Here are some examples of chemical properties:
- Reactivity with other chemicals
- Toxicity
- coordination number
- inflammability
- enthalpy of formation
- heat of combustion
- oxidation states
- chemical stability
- Types of chemical bonds they will form
Uses of Chemical Properties
Scientists use chemical properties to predict whether a sample will participate in a chemical reaction. Chemical properties can be used to classify compounds and find applications for them.
Understanding the chemical properties of a material aids in its purification, separation from other chemicals, or identification in an unknown sample.
Chemical Properties vs. Physical Properties
Whereas a chemical property is only revealed by the behavior of a substance in a chemical reaction, a physical property can be observed and measured without changing the composition of a sample. Physical properties include color, pressure, length, and concentration.
