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Chapter 2 Material and Matter:

States of Matter:

  • There are three states of matter-Solid, liquid and gas

  • Matter is anything that occupies state and has mass

  • The table below puts the three states of matter under three categories-Susceptibility to being compressed, volume, ability to flow and shape of matter

State of matter table:

Solid:                                              Liquid:                                             Gas:

 

Difficult to compress                   Difficult to compress                     Easy to compress

 

Definite Volume                            Definite Volume                             Indefinite Volume

 

Does not flow                                Does flow                                       Diffuses

 

Definite Shape                              Takes shape of container             Indefinite shape

Information on each State of Matter:

  • In solids the particles are arranged in a regular way due to the strong forces holding the partcles together

  • The particles are also unable to move out of position and as a result a solid has a definite shape

Solids:
Liquids:

  • In a liquid the particles are in constant contact with one another and can slide over one another

  • The forces holding the particles together in a liquid are of course weaker and unlike solids there is no regular arrangment of particles

  • As a result a liquid has no definite shape and always takes the shape of its container

Gases:

  • In a gas the forces holding the particles togther are much weaker and as a result the particles are much farther apart

  • By a process of diffusion the particles in a gas quickly move to fill up all available space

Left: As you can see the particles in a solid are arranged in a regular pattern as you can see
Right: The particles are constantly sliding over one another as demonstrated by the diagram
 
Above: The particles in gases are constantly trying to fill up all available space.
Changing of State:

  • The above states of matter are capable of chaninging. Some of these changes are obvious some are not

 

  1. Solid to Liquid-Melting

  2. Liquid to solid-Freezing

  3. Liquid to gas-Evaporation

  4. Gas to liquid-Condensation

  5. Solid to gas-Sublimation

  6. Gas-Solid-desublimation

Notes on Changing of State:

  • The melting Point is the temperature at which both the solid and sliquid states of a substance exist together

  • The boiling point of a liquid is the temperature at which evaporation begins to occur throughout the liquid When evaportaion occurs bubbles of Vapour begin to appear inside the liquid

© 2016 by Vincent Savage and John Harrington. Young Scientists and Historians

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