For example color, shape, and texture are all physical properties. Before viewing the video below, look at the picture of the unlit candle, write down 5 of its physical properties. Chemical properties describe how a substance changes into a new substance. For example, you know from previous experience that wood has the ability to burn, therefore since wood changes chemically when it burns, one of its chemical properties is its ability to burn. Water on the other hand does not burn so water does not have the chemical property of burning.
Water does react violently when it is combined with sodium metal.
Therefore, a chemical property of water is its ability to react with sodium metal. Now the the candle has been lit, observe what you see and list two of its chemical properties. It may help to play the video again by clicking on it. Print this page in Adobe Acrobat format. Visit the Utah State 8th Grade Integrated Science Core Curriculum Page .