Answer to Question #130535 in General Chemistry for pinky lacbayo

Question

Suppose when you reach into your pocket, can you tell the difference between a ticket stub and a folded piece of tissue? Suppose you have a glass of an unknown liquid that you want to identify. It looks like milk, but you cannot be sure. How could you determine what it is?

Answer 1

When you reach into your pocket, you can tell the difference between a ticket stub and a folded piece of tissue because one is stiff and smooth and the other is soft.

You could measure several properties of the unknown liquid and compare them with the properties of known substances. You might observe and measure such properties as color, odor, texture, density, boiling point, and freezing point.