CAPP Chemistry Lab Practice Test 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Physical properties are characteristics of a substance that can be observed or measured without changing the substance's chemical identity. For example, properties like melting point, boiling point, color, density, and state of matter (solid, liquid, gas) are considered physical properties. Since these properties do not involve a transformation into a different substance or a change in chemical composition, they remain unaffected by chemical reactions.

This is why saying that physical properties do not involve chemical changes is accurate. They can be observed in a sample without altering the material's fundamental identity. For instance, when ice melts into water, the physical state changes, but the chemical composition (H2O) remains the same.

In contrast, other statements imply misunderstanding of how physical properties are defined or measured. A change in chemical composition is indicative of a chemical property rather than a physical one. Additionally, observing physical properties does not require performing chemical reactions, and while temperature may relate to certain physical properties, it is not the sole factor.