States of Matter

22 Feb 2009

What is Matter?

Matter is anything that has mass and volume.

What is mass?

Mass is the amount of matter an object contains.

What is volume?

Volume is the amount of space that an object takes up.

What is not matter

• Sunlight• Shadows• Heat• Fire• Energy• Noise• Sounds• Electricity

Matter can exist in 3 states :• Solid

• Liquid

• Gas

Properties of Solid

• Definite shape – does not take the shape of the container

• Definite volume

It will not change no matter what container it is placed in.

Properties of Liquid

• No definite shape –takes the shape of the container Glue, dew, tears, blood, oil, petrol, milk, honey mercury are all liquids. As long as they can flow, they are liquids.

• Definite volumeIt will change and take the shape of the container it is placed in.

Properties of Gas• No definite shape –takes the

shape of the container Carbon dioxide, oxygen, hydrogen, steam, water vapour ,nitrogen are all gases. Not all gases are invisible.

• No definite volume and can be compressed.It will take the volume of the container it is placed in.

100 cm³ of gas added to 200 cm³ container will have a final volume of 200 cm³ of gas.

• If the syringe is filled with oxygen, can the piston be pressed?Yes, it can because oxygen is a gas and gases can be compressed.

• If the syringe is filled with water, can the piston be pressed?No, it cannot because water is a liquid and liquids cannot be compressed.

Butter

Butter can exist in 3 states :

1. Solid - when it is refrigerated

2. Liquid – when it is melted

3. Gas – when it is heated.

Wax

Wax can exist in 3 states

1. Solid – cooled wax

2. Liquid – hot dripping wax

3. Gas – burning at the wick.

Sponge

A sponge is a solid yet it changes its shape when it is pressed down. Why?

• It has a lot of air trapped inside it (the holes) and it is the air that is compressed, causing the sponge to look smaller and change shape.