What is Matter?

1. Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space.

2. Examples of living matter are human, plants and animals.
3. Examples of nonliving matter are rocks, water and soils.

Three States of Matter

1. Matter can exist in 3 states: solid, liquid or gas.

2. The Kinetic Theory states that matter is made up of very tiny, discrete particles
and the particles move faster when heated.

3. Diffusion and Brownian motions are used to explain the Kinetic theory.
4. Diffusion occurs when particles move from a region of high concentration of
particles to a region of low concentration of particles until the particles are
equally distributed.

Process of diffusion
 5. Brownian movement is random movement of the gas particles.

6. This name is derived from the name of a scientist named Robert Brown.
7. The gas particles are seen to move constantly in a zig-zag manner.
8. This is because the gas particles always collide with air particles from various
directions.

Comparing the properties of solids, liquids and gases.

Properties Solids Liquids Gases

Arrangement of the Systematically Packed quite close Scattered apart

particles arranged and packed but not Not packed and not
very close together systematically arranged
arranged
Distance between Very close Close Far apart
particles
Spaces between Narrow Small Large
particles
Force of attraction Very strong because Strong but not Weak because the
between particles the particles are enough to hold the particles are very far
arranged in a fixed particles in a fixed apart from each
position position other
Kinetic energy Low energy Moderate energy High energy
Movement of Only vibrate at fixed Vibrate and move Vibrate and move
particles position and cannot freely but slowly freely, very fast and
move randomly in all
direction
Shape Has fixed shape Follows the shape of Fills up the whole
the container space in a container
Volume Definite Definite Not definite, changes
according to
container
Density High Moderate Low
Compression Cannot be Cannot to be Can be compressed
compressed because compressed easily because there
the particles are is a lot of spaces
closely arranged so between particles
that no spaces
between particles
Ability to flow No Yes Yes

Density

1. Density is defined as the mass per unit volume of an object.

2. The unit for density is gram per cubic centimetre ( g/cm3 )

Density = Mass
Volume

3. Example: A iron block of 2 cm3 has a mass of 15 g. Calculate the density of the
iron block?
Density = 15 g
2 cm3
= 7.5 g/cm3
4. A liquid with lower density will float in a liquid with higher density.
 5. An object floats in a liquid if the object is less dense than the liquid.

Applications of the Properties of Matter

1. Gas is compressed and liquefied to save space and make it easier to transport.

2. Floats are inflated with air and used to help a person float on water.
3. Hot air balloons float in air because hot air is less dense than normal air.

4. Ballast tanks allow a submarine to float or sink.