Intrinsic properties are characteristics of a substance that do not change regardless of the amount of the substance present. These properties are inherent to the material itself and include attributes such as density, melting point, and boiling point. For example, the density of gold remains constant whether you have a small nugget or a large bar. In contrast to extrinsic properties, which can vary based on external conditions or the quantity of material, intrinsic properties provide essential information about the nature of a substance. Understanding these properties is crucial in fields like chemistry and materials science, where they help in identifying and classifying different materials.