CH#2: Particulate Nature of Matter

States of Matter

The three states of matter differ in particle arrangement.

State Shape Volume Density Compressibility Flow

Solid Fixed Fixed High X X
Liquid Unfixed Fixed Moderate V. little w/ difficulty ✓
Gas Unfixed Unfixed Low High ✓

Changes of State

[diagrams]

Involve energy changes. Solid particles have the least energy, gas particles have
the most energy. The presence of impurities leaves the boiling/melting points
inconstant.

Melting: solid --> liquid

 Melting Point: the constant temperature at which a pure solid becomes a

liquid.

Evaporation: liquid --> gas/vapours, without heating

Boiling: liquid --> gas

 Boiling Point: the constant temperature at which all of a liquid becomes a

gas or vapour

Sublimation: solid --> gas (and vice versa). Solid directly changes into a gas
without passing through the liquid state and vice versa.

Freezing: liquid --> gas

Solidification: liquid --> gas

 Boiling
Liquid changes to gas upon heating
Occurs at a fixed temperature
Fast process
Occurs in the whole liquid
Fixed rate of evaporation
Spontaneous process
Evaporation
Liquid changes to gas without heating
Occurs at all temperature
Slow process
Occurs at the surface
Rate of evaporation is different at different temperatures
Natural Process

Heating and Cooling Curves

These are plots of temperature against time on which flat sections indicate
changes of state.

[Diagrams of both curves]

Evidence of Particles
Kinetic Theory of Matter: explains different states of matter in terms of particle
movement.

Evidence of particulate nature of matter: crystal formation, diffusion in gases

and liquids, the dissolving of solutes, evaporation

Crystals: particles arranged in a regular geometrical shape.

Crystallization: crystal formation.

Applications: used in industries such as medicine and technology (silicon chips)

due to their purity.

Diffusion

The movement of particles from a higher to lower concentration.

[diagram]
Evidence of diffusion: spreading of cooking aromas in air, coloring of tea/coffee
in water

Rate of diffusion depends on:

 Mass: molecules of heavy mass move slower than molecules with lighter
masses
 Temperature: the higher the temperature, the higher the kinetic energy of
the particles, and hence the faster the particles are