Specific properties (original) (raw)

Specific properties of a substance are derived from other intrinsic and extrinsic properties (or intensive and extensive properties) of that substance. For example, the density of steel (a specific and intrinsic property) can be derived from measurements of the mass of a steel bar (an extrinsic property) divided by the volume of the bar (another extrinsic property). Similarly, the specific gravity of a liquid is derived from the density of the liquid divided by the density of water (two intrinsic properties).