Classification of Properties

The properties of a system might be separated into essentially two kinds: intensive and extensive. The intensive properties are those that are independent of the quantity of material in the system: they based on the intensity of a little effect on the system. Temperature, Pressure, and density are illustrations of intensive properties.

Those properties that are proportional to the mass of a system are termed as extensive properties; they based on the amount or size of the system. These properties are additive. Volume, entropy and energy are illustrations of such properties.

A latest set of properties outcomes whenever the extensive properties are separated by the mass of the system. These properties are termed as specific properties. Illustrations are specific energy, specific volume, and specific entropy. Usually, capital letters are used to symbolize extensive properties, and the equivalent lower case letters for the equivalent specific properties. Therefore V is volume and v is the specific volume. Density [ρ] is stated as the mass of a system divided by its volume or the mass per unit volume.

Therefore,

ρ = 1/ v, and it is an intensive property.

Though, specific properties seem to be identical to intensive properties, there is a distinct difference among them. The specific properties, whenever multiplied by the mass of the system, outcome in extensive properties; the product of any intensive property and mass has no importance. For illustration, the product of specific volume and mass results volume, whereas the product of density and mass has no importance.