Which is an example of an extensive property?

• A. Mass
• B. Colour
• C. Temperature
• D. Density

Answer: (A)

An extensive property is one that changes with the amount of matter present. Mass fits this idea perfectly: if you have more material, you have more mass, and if you reduce the amount, mass decreases proportionally. The other properties don’t depend on how much material you have. Colour describes how something looks and stays the same regardless of whether you have a small sample or a large one, so it’s not extensive. Temperature is an intensive property; it reflects how hot or cold something is and doesn’t scale with amount—two samples at the same temperature share that same measure. Density is also intensive for a homogeneous substance because it’s the ratio of mass to volume, which stays the same even as you change the amount. So the correct example of an extensive property is mass.