Question

What is the difference between (a) mass and density? (b) an extensive and an intensive property? (c) a solvent and a solution?

Short answer

Additionally, differentiate between a solvent and a solution. Answer: The main difference between mass and density is that mass is a scalar quantity measuring the amount of matter in an object, whereas density is a derived quantity describing mass per unit volume. For extensive and intensive properties, the key difference is that extensive properties depend on the amount of material, while intensive properties remain constant regardless of size or quantity. A solvent is a substance that dissolves other substances, while a solution is the resulting homogeneous mixture of the solvent and the dissolved substances.

Step-by-step solution

(a) Mass and Density

Mass is a measure of the amount of matter in an object, usually expressed in units such as kilograms or grams. Density, on the other hand, describes the mass per unit volume of a substance, typically expressed as kg/m³ or g/cm³. The main difference between mass and density lies in the fact that mass is a scalar quantity, while density is a derived quantity, obtained by dividing the mass of an object by its volume.

(b) Extensive and Intensive Properties

An extensive property of a material or system is a property that depends on the amount of material or the size of the system, such as mass, volume, or total energy. As the size or quantity of the material changes, so does the value of an extensive property. An intensive property, however, does not depend on the size or amount of the material or system, and remains constant regardless of quantity or size. Examples of intensive properties include temperature, pressure, or density. The main difference between these two types of properties is that extensive properties depend on the amount of material, while intensive properties are independent of the material quantity.

(c) Solvent and Solution

A solvent is a substance capable of dissolving other substances, forming a homogeneous mixture called a solution. The solvent is usually the component of a solution that is present in the greatest amount and is the medium in which the other components are dissolved. A solution, on the other hand, is the homogeneous mixture formed when a solute is dissolved in a solvent. This mixture consists of particles of the solute dispersed uniformly throughout the solvent. The key difference between these two terms is that a solvent is a substance responsible for dissolving another substance, and a solution is the resulting mixture of the solvent and the dissolved substances.