Arizona State University (ASU) CHM 113 Introductory Chemistry Exam 1 Practice

Distinguishing chemical from physical properties: a chemical property describes how a substance behaves during a chemical reaction, changing its composition. Flammability fits this because it describes whether the material will undergo combustion with oxygen, forming new substances like carbon dioxide and water. That change in composition is the hallmark of a chemical property. In contrast, color, density, and melting point can be observed or measured without altering the substance’s identity: color is how it looks, density is mass per volume, and melting point is the temperature at which a solid becomes a liquid. So the tendency to burn is the chemical property here, making flammability the best choice.