Can the behavior of a material or substance be considered a physical property?

Physical properties are those attributes of a material that can be observed  and/or measured without changing the composition or identity of that material.  Examples of such properties include color, smell, freezing point, melting point, viscosity, opacity. density, solubility, polarity, texture and many others.

Now if the behavior of a material is inherent to that material, and is an attribute that can be observed or measured without effecting any chemical change in that material, then it  may very well be considered a physical property of that material.

For example  if a particular element or material melts at 40 degrees  centigrade, this is a behavior of that element and is considered a physical attribute.

the dependant variable is spilled water

the independent is the heat