What is Matter?

October 2014

What is Matter?• A substance that has mass (“weight”)

and volume (takes up space).

States of Matter• Matter on Earth can exist as 4 different phases

or states (Others exist, but they are not included in our curriculum).

• Solid• Liquid• Gas• Plasma

• All living and non-living things are made of matter.

Solids• Has a definite volume and a definite shape.• The atoms or molecules in a solid are strongly

attracted to one another and tightly packed.• Examples:–Rocks–Desk–Apple

Eureka! Molecules in Solids

Liquids• Has a definite volume but no definite shape.• The atoms or molecules in a liquid are

attracted to each other, but not as strongly as those of a solid. They are free to move over and around each other.–Water–Blood–Milk

Eureka!Molecules in Liquid

Gases• Has no definite volume and no

definite shape.• The atoms or molecules of gases

have very little attractive force on each other. This causes them to move freely and independently.

• The atoms or molecules move apart until they’re evenly spaced throughout the container they are placed in.

• Examples:– Air (mixture of different gases)– Water Vapor (water in a gas form)

Solid / Liquid / Gas Particles

Plasma on Earth• On Earth, plasma is found naturally in lightning

bolts.• Also in Plasma TV’s,

Fluorescent Bulbs, and Neon Signs!

Plasma• Plasma is super-heated gas– Very high temperatures and pressures. – When electrons become temporarily excited!

• Most of the matter in the universe is in the plasma state.

• Stars are composed of matter in the plasma state.

• The Sun is matter in this state.

Vocabulary – p.56 in your INB

• Kinetic Energy – The energy of motion. A moving object has the most kinetic energy at the point where it moves the fastest.

• Thermal Expansion – increase in the size of a substance when the temperature increases OR contracts when cooled.– Exception to the Rule – WATER; when cooled it

expands.

Melting………. Solid Liquid

• Melting – change from a solid state to a liquid state.

• Melting Point - The temperature at which a substance changes from its solid state to its liquid state through melting.

Freezing………. Liquid Solid

• Freezing – change from a liquid state to a solid state

• Freezing Point - The temperature at which a substance changes from its liquid state to its solid state through freezing.

Vaporazation…… Liquid Gas

• Vaporization (Boiling) – Change from a liquid state to a gaseous state.

• Boiling Point - The temperature at which a substance changes from its liquid state to its gas state through boiling.

Condensation…….Gas Liquid

• Condensation –Change from a gaseous state to a liquid state.

• Condensation Point – temperature at which a gas condenses.

Write the following question on the top of page 55 in your INB

• Think about your definitions and the Eureka video when answering the following question.

– Why is the grass wet in the morning when it didn’t rain the night before?

EurekaCondensation and Evaporation

Page 53 in your INB

Directions:Match the particles of matter and paste them in the correctly labeled jar – Solid, Liquid or Gas

When finished, write a description of how the particles move as well as find two picture examples of each state of matter.

Brainpop Video

CHANGES IN MATTER• Matter will change

phases when heat is added or lost.

Brainpop Video

• Melting: solid to a liquid (heat is added)

• Boiling: liquid to a gas (heat is added)

• Sublimation: solid to a gas (heat is added)

• Freezing: liquid to a solid (heat is lost)

• Condensation: gas to a liquid (heat is lost)

WAYS TO MEASURE MATTER• Mass – the amount of matter in an

object.– Measured in grams (g) and kilograms

(kg)

• Volume – The amount of space an object takes up.– Measured in milliliters (mL) and liters

(L), or cm3

• Density – amount of matter in a given volume of a substance

• Weight – The downward pull on an object due to gravity.