Chemical property

Chemical Property

A Chemical Property (pronunciation: /ˈkɛmɪkəl ˈprɒpərti/) is a characteristic or behavior of a substance that may be observed when it undergoes a chemical change or reaction. Chemical properties are seen either during or following a reaction since the arrangement of atoms within a sample must be disrupted for the property to be investigated. This is different from a physical property, which can be observed without changing the substance's structure.

Etymology

The term "Chemical Property" is derived from the Greek word chemia meaning to pour, which refers to the process of transmuting substances, and the Latin word proprietas meaning quality or property.

Related Terms

Chemical Reaction: A process that leads to the transformation of one set of chemical substances to another.
Chemical Change: Any change that results in the formation of new chemical substances.
Physical Property: A characteristic that can be observed or measured without changing the composition of the substance.
Chemical Substance: A form of matter having constant chemical composition and characteristic properties.
Atom: The smallest unit of a chemical element that retains the properties of that element.

Chemical Properties Examples

Chemical properties can be contrasted with physical properties, which can be discerned without changing the substance's structure. However, for many properties within the scope of physical chemistry, and other disciplines at the boundary between chemistry and physics, the distinction may not be so clear. Chemical properties include: