The Nature of Matter
What is Matter?• Matter is the stuff all things in the known Universe
are composed of, exists in a wide variety of forms.• All matter has mass and takes up space (volume).• Matter comes in 4 states: solids, liquids, gases, and
plasma• Matter can be classified as pure or mixed substances.• Matter has chemical and physical properties.• Chemistry is the study of matter and the changes it
undergoes.• Matter undergoes physical and chemical changes.
Matter has States of Being
Matter has States of Being: Solids
• Solids have definite shape and definite volume.
• Solids have mass.• Solids take up space.The Particles in solids …• Are packed tightly together• Have very little energy• Vibrate in place
Matter has States of Being: Liquids
• Liquids take the shape of their container and have definite volume.
• Liquids have mass.• Liquids take up space.The particles in liquids …• Are loosely packed• Have medium energy levels• Particles flow around each other
Matter has States of Being: Gases• Gases spread out to fill the entire space given
and do not have definite volume.• Gases have mass.• Gases take up space.The particles in gases …• Move freely• Have LOTS of energy
Matter has States of Being: Plasma• Lightning is a plasma.• Used in fluorescent light bulbs and Neon
lights.• Plasma is a lot like a gas, but the particles are
electrically charged.The particles in plasma …• Are electrically charged• Have EXTREMELY high energy levels
Change of State is called a Phase ChangeThe reversible physical change that occurs when a substances changes from one state of matter to another
ex. Ice ----- water- energy is either absorbed or released
- absorbed: endothermic- released: exothermic
Common phase changes- freezing, melting, vaporization, condensation,
sublimation, deposition
Matter Can Also Be Called Substances
• A substance cannot be further broken down or purified by physical means.
• A substance is matter of a particular kind. • Each substance has its own characteristic
properties that are different from the set of properties of any other substance.
Classification of Matter/Substances
Matter has Physical and Chemical Properties
• Physical properties are those that we can determine without changing the identity of the substance we are studying.
• Chemical properties describes the way a substance can change or react to form other substances.
Physical Properties
What do we use Physical Properties For?
• To identify a material. ex. crime scene, paint chips
• To chose a material for a specific purpose. ex. construction worker might wear a titanium ring instead of a gold ring for scratching
• To separate the substances in a mixturefiltration- separates materials based on size distillation- separates the substances in a solution based on the boiling points
Chemical Properties of Matter• Flammability
- material’s ability to burn in the presence of oxygen
ex. newspaper, gasoline• Reactivity
- describes how readily a substance combines chemically with other substances
ex. iron turns to rust in the presence of oxygen
Chemical Changes of Matter• Chemical Change is a change that produces one
or more new substances ex. ripening fruit: banana
• All chemical changes are accompanied by changes in energy, hence either endothermic or exothermic
• Atoms rearrange during chemical change, forming and breaking bonds, its new arrangement of atoms results in a material completely different from the starting material
Indicators of a Chemical Change- bubbles, foaming, or fizz (gas forms)- the formation of a precipitate- change in temperature (heat absorbed or released)- emission of light- unusual color change
Chemical vs. Physical Change
How do you know if it’s a physical or chemical change?• A chemical change will produce a new
substance• A chemical change cannot be reversed easily.