E XT E N S I V E & I N T E N S I V E P R O P E RT I E SS TAT E S O F M ATT E R

P H Y S I C A L P R O P E RT I E S & C H A N G E S

2.1 - PROPERTIES OF MATTER

STATES OF MATTER PRE-QUIZ

A. Which has the greater volume, the water in the test tube or the water on the counter?

B. Which has the greater volume, the sheet of aluminum foil or the ball?

C. Which has the greater mass, the sheet of aluminum foil or the ball?

D. Answers1. Same Volume; Same Volume, Same Mass

RELATIVE SEPARATION OF MOLECULES

I. STATES OF MATTER

A. Solids1. Atoms are vibrating slowly and hold each other

in place by intermolecular forces2. Atoms are really close together (imagine them

as “touching”)3. Retains its shape because the atoms hold each

together4. Retains volume because atoms cannot get much

closer or farther apart5. Incompressible (Virtually) because atoms are

already really close together

I. STATES OF MATTER

A. Liquids1. Atoms are moving faster and are able to move

around2. Atoms are still really close together (imagine

mosh pit)3. Takes on the shape of the container because the

atoms can move around each other and “flow”4. Retains volume because atoms cannot get much

closer together and they cannot escape each other

5. Incompressible (Virtually) because atoms are already as close as possible

I. STATES OF MATTER

A. Gases1. Atoms are moving super fast and break free of

one another2. The atoms are widely separated (imagine a

swarm of fruit fly’s)3. Takes on the shape of the container because the

atoms can move all over the place and “flow”4. Takes on the volume of the container because

atoms aren’t held together and can spread out in all directions

5. Easily compressed because atoms are far apart and can be easily squeezed closer together.

6. Vapor – used to describe a gas that is normally a solid or liquid (i.e. water vapor, “vaporize”)

COMPREHENSION CHECK

Solid Liquid Gas

Speed of atoms

Closeness of atoms

Retains Volume

Retains Shape

Slow Medium Fast

Touching TouchingFar

Apart

Yes Yes No

Yes No No

II. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES & CHANGES

A. Physical Properties – anything that can be measured without a chemical reaction

1. Color, temperature, volume, shape, hardness, density, mass, weight, boiling & melting temperatures, etc.

2. Often used to identify materials

B. Physical Change – any change that does not affect the identity of the molecules that make up the material

1. Boiling, freezing, evaporation, change in shape, breaking, etc.