NS6_05_Matter

SPECIFIC PROPERT IES OF MATTER

THE STRUCTURE OF MATTER

MATTER AND ITS GENERAL PROPERTIES

matter

changes in matter

PURE SUBSTANCES AND MIXTUREreS

MATTER AND ITS GENERAL PROPERTIES

What is matter?

The general properties of matter

Matter is everything that has got mass and volume (occupies space). It is formed by tiny particles called atoms and can have any shape or colour. Everything around us is made of matter. We can find it in three different states: solid, liquid and gas, depending on the behaviour of the atoms that form it.

Matter has got different properties. Properties are the characteristics that we use to measure and compare matter. Some of these properties are general to all matter. These are volume and mass.

Mass

Volume

The three states of matter

Liquids

Gases

Solids

Scales

Beaker

SPECIFIC PROPERTIES OF MATTER

Elasticity, hardness, malleability and colour

The specific properties of matter

The specific properties of matter are the characteristics that differentiate one type of matter from another. They include density, elasticity, hardness, malleability and colour. These characteristics do not change because they are specific to each substance.

Hardness

Colour

Elasticity

Density

Density is the relationship between the mass and the volume of an object. If the atoms are packed tight together, the object has got a high density. If the atoms are packed loosely, the object has got a low density.

A balloon is elastic.

Sulphur is yellow.

Chalk is not very hard.

THE STRUCTURE OF MATTER

Atoms

The structure of matter

changes in matter

Types of physical and chemical changes

Physical and chemical changes

Matter can neither be created nor destroyed, it can only be transformed. Matter changes all the time. Changes in matter can be physical or chemical.

Physical changes affect the state of the substance, but not its properties. The matter in the substance stays the same. Examples of physical changes are:

Chemical changes affect the properties of matter so it becomes a different substance. Examples of physical changes are:

A physical change

A chemical change

Rust appears when metal is exposed to oxygen and water. This is a chemical change.

Cutting paper into pieces is a physical change.

PURE SUBSTANCES AND MIXTUREreS

Classification of matter by its composition

Matter can be classified in different ways and one of them is to look at its composition. There are pure substances and mixtures.

Mixtures

Pure substances

Mixtures contain at least two pure substances, such as steel.

Pure substances exist in their basic form and can be extracted from nature. They are made up by only one type of matter, such as aluminum.

Alumnium is mixed with other substances to make steel.

Aluminium is a pure substance.

Classification of mixtures

We classify mixtures into:

Heterogeneous mixtures

Homogeneousmixtures