Which of the following is an intensive property ?

Question

Accepted Answer

In the context of thermodynamics and physical chemistry, properties of substances are categorized into two types: intensive and extensive properties. An intensive property is one that does not depend on the amount of substance or the size of the system. In contrast, an extensive property is dependent on the system's size or the amount of material present.

1. **Temperature (Option 1):**  
   Temperature is an intensive property. This means that it remains constant regardless of the quantity of the substance or the size of the system. For example, if you have a glass of water at 25°C and you pour half of it into another glass, both glasses of water will still be at 25°C. The temperature does not change with the division of the system, demonstrating its intensive nature. This is why Option 1 is the correct answer.

2. **Internal Energy (Option 2):**  
   Internal energy is an extensive property. It depends on the total amount of substance present in the system. If you divide a system into two equal parts, the internal energy of each part will be half of the original system's internal energy. This dependency on the quantity of matter makes internal energy an extensive property, not an intensive one.

3. **Mass (Option 3):**  
   Mass is a classic example of an extensive property. It directly depends on the amount of substance present. If you take a system and divide it into two equal parts, the mass of each part will be half of the original system's mass. This characteristic clearly shows that mass is not an intensive property.

4. **Volume (Option 4):**  
   Volume, like mass, is an extensive property. It is dependent on the size of the system or the amount of substance present. If you split a system into two equal parts, each part will have half the volume of the original system. This dependency on the system's size confirms that volume is not an intensive property.

In conclusion, temperature is the only option among the given choices that qualifies as an intensive property, as it remains unchanged regardless of the system's size or the amount of substance present.