A chemical property is a characteristic of matter that can only be observed and measured by performing a chemical reaction or chemical change. In other words, the chemical identity of a substance must be changed or its internal structure rearranged in order to know its chemical properties.
In contrast, a physical property is observable and measurable without changing the internal structure of matter.
Examples of chemical properties
Matter has many chemical properties. Examples include:
- Acidity and basicity
- Catalytic capacity
- Chemical bond formation
- Chemical reaction
- Chemical stability
- Coordination number
- Corrosivity
- Electronegativity
- Enthalpy of formation
- Flammability
- Heat of combustion
- Oxidation states
- Radioactivity
- Solubility
- Toxicity
For example, oxidation (a type of corrosion) is an example of a chemical property. For example, oxidation (a type of corrosion) is an example of a chemical property. ironmust be oxidised. Oxidation is a chemical reaction. So, a chemical change had to occur to know the property.
Importance of chemical properties
It is useful to know the chemical properties of a substance because the information helps to:
- Identify it
- Classify it
- Store it safely
- Know your dangers
- Predict your reactions with other samples
- Predict their uses
- Purify it
- Separate it from other chemicals.