What’s the Matter?

With Matter

Matter is the Stuff Around You!

What is Matter?Matter is anything that has mass and

takes up space.

What is mass? It’s the amount of “stuff” or particles in an object.

Mass and weight are different from each other. Weight comes from gravity pulling the particles toward the center of the earth.

States of Matter

There are five known states of matter. Three of them are familiar to you.

The five states of matter, from lowest energy to highest energy, are Bose-Einstein condensate, solid, liquid, gas and plasma.

Bose-Einstein Condensate

Bose-Einstein condensates form from matter that has been cooled to near absolute zero.

These condensates are sometimes called superfluids.

The theory behind Bose-Einstein condensates has been around since 1924 but it was not demonstrated until 1995.

Superfluids Can Form Vortices

Computer Generated Images of Superfluid Vortices

What are Vortices?

An unusual phenomenon within superfluids is their ability to form several vortices. If you spin a bucket full of water, a whirlpool like pattern will occur (called a vortex). In a superfluid, many minute vortices occur.

SolidsWhen matter has a definite shape and

volume it is a solid.

The particles in a solid are packed tightly together and cannot change positions.

Solid particles are in constant motion. Solid particles vibrate back and forth in place.

Liquids

When matter has a definite volume but no definite shape it is called a liquid.

Particles in a liquid take the shape of their container.

Liquid particles are in constant motion freely moving past each other.

GassesWhen matter has no definite shape

or volume it is a gas.

Gasses fill the space they are given. Gasses take the shape of their containers.

Gasses are in constant motion moving in straight lines and colliding with their containers and each other.

Plasma

A physical state of matter which exists at extremely high temperatures in which all molecules are dissociated (unconnected) and most atoms are ionized (they have a positive or negative charge).

Neon Lights are Examples of Plasma

Northern Lights (aurora borealis) are an example of

Plasma

Lighting is an Example of Plasma

Adding Energy in the Form of Heat to H2O

Particle Model of Matter

All matter is made up of tiny particles in constant motion. This idea is known as the “Particle Model of Matter”.