What term describes the characteristics of a material that distinguish it from other materials, such as hardness, toughness, and ductility?

The term that best describes the characteristics of a material, such as hardness, toughness, and ductility, is "properties." In materials science and engineering, properties refer to the measurable and intrinsic characteristics of a material that influence how it performs under various conditions. These properties can include mechanical aspects like tensile strength, compressive strength, and elasticity, as well as thermal and electrical characteristics.

While attributes, features, and specifications might seem similar, they don’t capture the same precise meaning. Attributes can pertain more broadly to any distinguishing quality, features could refer to aspects that describe a product or system—not specifically material characteristics— and specifications typically relate to a detailed description or requirement tied to a product's design, performance, or functionality. Thus, "properties" is the most accurate and commonly used term in the context of material science to represent the distinct characteristics that define different materials.