Question

Is a substance which can be compressed soft or hard?

Answer 1

Hint: Substances are classified to which can be compressed or not. Generally atoms make up everything around us. Hardness of substances is dependent on its elasticity, resistance to change shape.

Complete step by step answer:
Atoms are the smallest particle of matter. Elements are only one type of atom. Compounds are made up of different types of atoms.
Generally materials are classified into natural and artificial materials. Natural materials are found in nature. They may come from plants, animals or rocks. E.g. Diamond, iron, silver, gold, sand etc. Humans use natural materials to make new materials. These are called artificial materials. E.g. petroleum, plastic etc.
One of the major properties of materials is hardness. It is the resistance to plastic deformation. This term also refers to the resistance to scratching, abrasion or cutting. This denotes that hard substances are very strong. Thus it cannot be compressible.
Hence, we can say that substances which can be compressed can be termed as soft substances.

Additional information:
The properties of materials are classified as visual, thermal, electrical, mechanical, chemical etc. Visual, electrical and thermal properties denote the capability to pass light, electricity and heat. Mechanical properties denote the capability of a material to change shape under a force.

Note:
Based on the mechanical properties, we can check whether a material is hard or soft. We need to ascertain the hardness to confirm material characteristics, to estimate the tensile strength of metals. And it is a good indication of the effectiveness of heat treatment.