.

MATT E R
SPECIFIC LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
On completion of this unit students should be able to:
1. Group everyday substances according the states of matter,
solid, liquids and gases.
2. Identify properties of different states of matter;
compressibility, shape, ability to diffuse.
3. Use a Bunsen Burner safely.
4. Understand how the properties are related to the
arrangement of particles within matter.
5. Identify state changes in everyday situations and use the
correct terminology.
6. Describe the changes that occur during the water cycle.
7. Describe dissolving and understand how solutions are
created.
8. Describe techniques for separating mixtures.

Keywords
element dissolve evaporating /
compound compression evaporation
mixture soluble vaporising /
melting point insoluble vaporisation
boiling point crystal condensing /
condensation
solutions decanting
subliming /
solute filtering
sublimation
solvent melting
solidifying /
boiling chromatography
solidification
freezing

2
 soap Clouds Fire

Shampoo soil Ice

wax snow Water

Ice cream paper Milk

ash Car exhaust Acid

Air Sand Steam

Oxygen Blood Sea

Smoke Sawdust You

trees Carbon dioxide ashes

CNG perfume metal

butter Candle wax Toothpaste

Solids, Liquids, & Gases
 STATE EXPERIMENTS

No. 1 Solids and Compression

Method:

1. Put 50ml of water in a measuring cylinder.

2. Put the plasticine in and measure the volume rise.
3. Take out the plasticine and squeeze it hard
4. Put it back in 50ml of water and measure the volume rise.

Results/Questions:
Before after
squeezing squeezing
Starting volume =
Finishing volume =
Volume of plasticine =

1. Did squeezing make the plasticine change size?

2. Can a solid be squeezed smaller?

3. How close together do you think the particles of a solid must be

arranged? Close or far apart?

4. Draw a diagram to represent how the particles in solid will look.

 STATE EXPERIMENTS

No. 2 Liquids and Compression

Method:

1. Half fill a syringe with water.

2. Carefully squeeze out all the air.

3. Put your finger over the opening.

4. Try squeezing the water smaller.

Results/Questions:

1. Can water be squeezed smaller?

2. How close together must the particles in a liquid be, close together
or far apart?

3. Draw a diagram to represent how the particles in solid will look.

 STATE EXPERIMENTS

No. 3 Gases and Compression

Method:
1. Half fill a syringe with air.

2. Put your finger over the opening.

3. Try squeezing the air.

Results/Questions:

1. Can the gas be compressed smaller?

2. Are particles in gas close together or far apart?

3. Where do we use the idea of compressing gases?

4. Draw a diagram to represent how the particles in gases will look.

 STATE EXPERIMENTS

No. 4 HEAT and LIQUIDS

Method:

1. Set up the gear as shown in the diagram below.

2. Stand the flask in a bowl of hot water.
3. Watch the level of the water in the tube.
4. Now put the flask in cold water and observe any changes that
occur.

Results/Questions:

1. What happens to the liquid size (volume) as it is heated?

2. What happens to the liquid size (volume) as it cools?

3. What word do we use to describe the observations in question 1

and 3?

4. When are the particles further apart, hot or cold?

5. What piece of science equipment uses this idea?

 STATE EXPERIMENTS

No. 5 Heat and Gas

Method:

1. Hold the flask upside down with the tube in the water.
2. Hold warm hands round the flask.
3. Watch the bottom of the tube.
4. Now put ice on the top of the flask.
5. Again watch the bottom of the flask.

Results/Questions:

1. Does heat make the gas expand?

2. What does the ice do to the size of the gas?

3. When are the particles of gas closer together, when hot or cold?
Moving Particles
 MATTER PROPERTIES

Match the two parts of each statement about

properties of MATTER. You will need to add
linking words/terms in between for the
sentence to make sense.
Most liquids shrink when they solidify . .
.

It is easier to move through air than it is to move through water

Gases can be easily compressed . . .

A puff of perfume is soon smelt everywhere in a room . . .

Liquids and solids cannot be easily compressed . . .

Solids keep their shape and appearance . . .

A drop of dye in a beaker of water spreads out until all the liquid is
coloured . . .

The
particles in
The solids are in Particles in
particles in fixed liquids are in
the liquid positions constant
moves closer
motion
together.

Particles in The
liquids and particles in The
solids are gases are far particles in
close apart gases move
very quickly

Particles
are much further
apart in gases
than they are
liquids
 Why?
Explain WHY each of the following situations occur using words from the
Key Words List.

Key Words List

hot melt boil condense evaporate sublime
hotter melts boils condenses evaporates sublimes
cold melting boiling condensing evaporating subliming
colder melted boiled condensed evaporated sublimed
heat condensation evaporation sublimation
Example -
Statement: Wet clothes dry when hung on a clothes line.
Explanation: Wet clothes when hung on a clothes line will dry in the hot
sun because heat from the sun causes the water to evaporate.
1. When we shower, the mirror in the bathroom fogs up.

2. We notice the smell of our feet more on a hot day.

3. When ice is added to a glass of coke, the temperature of the coke drops.
4. Puddles of water left after it has rained, disappear after a few hours.

5. Clouds can be seen in the sky.

6. Solid room deodorises, disappear after a few weeks.

 Particle Nature of Matter

Fill in the gaps and look at the diagrams below. Put the letter of the
diagram which best matches each sentence in the spaces provided.

1. Matter can exist in any of three states; solid, ……………… or gas.

2. In a solid, the particles are locked into positions, and are ………………

but not moving freely.

3. Crystals are solids in which the particles are arranged in a very

……………… way.
4. When solids are heated, the particles vibrate ……………. They take

up more room and the solid ……………. Heat is conducted through

the solid as the vibrating particles bump into each other.

5. If the solid is heated still more, the particles have more ………………

so they vibrate more and move further apart until they break

loose and the solid ……………… . Different solids melt at

different ……………… .
6. The particles in liquids are free to move. This means that liquids

……………… and take up the ……………… of their container.

7. When a liquid is ……………, the particles move about vigorously.

Eventually they are moving so fast that they ……………… free. The

liquid boils and becomes a gas. Different liquids boil at

……………… temperatures.
8. Particles in gases have high energy and they move at ………………

speed. They are so widely spaced that they can be compressed

into a smaller …………… by pushing them closer together.

 A R
I

L T

C P E
 Particle Sentences

Rearrange the parts of these sentences to make five true statements.

Gases have high densities because the particles are moving very
quickly.
Balloons can be smelt throughout because the particles are far apart.
the room
Solids particles stay neatly because the particles move faster
packed in rows and further when heated.
Perfume can easily be because the particles are close
compressed together.
Liquids expand on hot days because the particles vibrate very
little.
Solid take the shape of a because the particles are held
container together weakly and move around.

Gases

Balloons

Solids

Perfume

Liquids

Solid
 Gases, Liquids and Solids

Gases Liquids Solids

Gas particles wiz around and Liquid particles tumble over Solid particles are arranged
are independent of each one another. in an orderly fashion; vibrate
other and have rapid, random but stay in fixed positions.
motion.

A gas completely fills its A liquid takes the shape of its A solid keeps its shape.
container. container.

Blow up a balloon and tie it. The air particles can be squeezed together.

Gases can be compressed. Liquids cannot be compressed. Solids cannot be compressed.

Fill in the gaps.

All matter is made up of ………………… .

Gas particles move ……………… in all directions to completely fill their ……………… . A
gas is a fluid because it ……………… to take the shape of its container. Distances
between particles are large in a ……………… . Gas particles can be ……………… closer
together so that they take up less room. Gases are ……………… . There are almost
no attractive ………………… between ………………… in a gas.
Liquids are also ……………… because liquid particles flow to fit the ……………… of the
container. Liquid particles have less ……………… than gas particles. Distances
between particles are small in a liquid and there are ……………… attractive forces
between the particles.

freezing vaporisation condensation

 Solids all have a ……………… shape. Solid particles have least ……………… of all.
Particles in a solid are ……………… packed and distances between particles are
small. There are strong ……………… forces between particles in a ……………… .

Matter Grid

Summarise what you know about solids, liquids and gases,

Complete the table by putting a tick () or cross (x) in each box.

Properties
States of  can be
Matter weighed occupy space fixed shape fixed volume compressible

Solids          

Liquids          

Gases          
 WHAT is MATTER?
The material that substances are made up of is called matter. There are
different kinds of matter. Sometimes matter can look quite different
under different conditions. eg: water can exist as a liquid, or as steam
(gas), or as ice (solid). All look different but all are the same substance.

Matter exists in three states: solid, liquid, and gas. A change in state
usually occurs by adding or removing heat from a substance.

State change What is happening Heat added or removed

Freezing Liquid changing into a solid Heat removed
(solidifying)
Condensation Gas changing into a liquid Heat removed
Evaporation Liquid changing into a gas Heat added
melting Solid changing into a liquid Heat added
sublimation Solid changing into a gas Heat added

A change of state is a ________ change.

Water turning to steam is an example of ________
Water turning into ice is an example of ________
________ is involved when iron is cast into a mould
________ is involved when water droplets form on windows
________ takes place in the atmosphere when vapour turns into water in
the form of rain.
A change of state usually occurs by adding or removing ________ from a
substance.
Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide with a
boiling point of -78OC, at which it
sublimes (goes from a solid to a gas).
Write the answers to the questions
in your book.

1. Place a small piece of dry ice on a smooth surface and push it

along. Why do you think it is easy to move?
2. Make your dry ice scream by flattening it onto the bench with
a small coin. What do you think causes the noise?
3. Place a small piece of dry ice in a beaker of cold water and a
small piece of dry ice in a beaker of warm water. Which
makes the most fog? What do you think the fog is made of?
4. Place a small piece of dry ice in a clean beaker. Observe the
outside of the beaker. What happens? Light a taper and
place into the beaker. What happens? Now “pour” some of
the gas from the beaker and lower a lit taper into it. What
happens? Why do you think this is? Do you know what one of
the most important uses of carbon dioxide is?
5. Insert two pieces of dry ice into a balloon. Tie a knot in it,
and observe what happens. Try holding it under hot water,
does it make a difference? Why do you think the balloon
inflates?
6. Add two pieces of dry ice into a measuring cylinder containing
lime water. Write down any observations you can.
7. Place a small piece of dry ice into a film can and close the lid.
DO NOT point the film can at anyone! Observe what happens
and try to explain why it happens.
8. Fill a large beaker with warm water, and some household
ammonia and a squirt of acid-base (universal) indicator. Now
add two pieces of dry ice and write down all the colour
changes you can observe. What does this tell you about
carbon dioxide solution?
 How do States of Matter Change?
Watch the “How do states of matter change?” clip.

Match the name of the process with the description of the process:-

• Process of a liquid
freezing
changing into a gas

• Process of a solid
condensation
changing into a gas

• Process of a liquid
sublimation
changing into a solid

evaporation • Process of a solid

changing into a liquid

• Process of a gas
melting
changing into a liquid

1. State of matter found in stars _____________

2. State of matter with a fixed volume, but no fixed shape

_____________

3. Gaseous state of water _____________

4. State of matter with no fixed volume of shape. _____________

5. Solid state of carbon dioxide _____________

6. A change in state is a _____________ change

7. Changing _____________ causes a change in state

8. State of matter with a fixed volume and shape _____________

 EVAPORATION & BOILING

When we boil water, the water gains heat
energy and starts to evaporate; change
from liquid to a gas (water vapour).
Why?
As the temperature increases, the water
particles start to vibrate faster and
faster. Some particles gain enough
energy to leave the surface of the water
and become gas.
When the water temperature
reaches 100oC, air bubbles form,
rise to the surface and pop. This is
the boiling point of water.
When the hot water vapour hits the
cold air above the pot, it condenses
to form a cloud of white mist (tiny
droplets changing back to liquid)

FACTORS AFFECTING EVAPORATION

The higher the temperature, the greater the amount of evaporation.

Shinning a light onto a liquid makes the liquid particles move faster and so
change into vapour.
When evaporation occurs, water vapour collects above the liquid. Fast
winds push the water vapour away allowing more evaporation to occur.
In the bowl, only a small amount of the water is exposed to the air; when
the water is spilt, all of it is exposed to the air. More evaporation occurs
when there is more surface area exposed.
 At high humidity, the air is already full of water and so little evaporation
occurs.
Changes of State or Phase

A pure substance changes state or …………… at a certain fixed …………… and as it

changes state the temperature remains ……………… .
When a solid is heated the temperature ……………… until its melting point is reached. The
change of state from a solid to a liquid is called ……………… or ……………… . The change of
state from a liquid to a solid is called ……………… or ……………… . For a pure substance,
melting and freezing occur at one temperature.
When a liquid is heated the temperature ……………… until its boiling point is reached.
Bubbles form in the liquid and the temperature remains ……………… until all the liquid has
evaporated and become a ……………… . This is called ……………… . The change of phase from
liquid into a vapour at a temperature below its boiling point is called ……………… .
Evaporation occurs at the surface of the liquid when those particles with the highest
kinetic ……………… escape into the gas phase. The change of phase from a gas to a liquid is
called ……………… .
Some solids do not have a liquid phase, but change straight from a solid to a ………… when
enough heat ……………… is added. The change of phase from a solid to a gas (or solid to gas)
is called ……………… .
The three states or phases of matter are solid, liquid and gas. Sometimes we use
verbs to describe these changes of state.
(a) Use the words below to complete the diagram which describes changes of state.

boil condense evaporate freeze liquefy

melt sublime (use vaporise
twice)
Key: solidify
Adding energy

Removing energy
solid

liquid gas
 The Particle Theory of Matter

1. All matter is made up of tiny particles too small to see

2. There are spaces between the particles

3. There are attractive forces between the particles: the further

apart the particles are, the weaker the forces are.

4. The particles are always moving

5. At high temperatures the particles move faster than they do at

low temperatures.

+ +
heat heat

Solid Liquid Gas

1. Copy the diagrams above and write a sentence explaining the particle
arrangement in each of these diagrams.

2. Explain why adding heat change the state of the particles?

3. What would happen to the gas particles if heat was removed (ie: cooling
happened)?

4. Write an example of where each of these changes occurs.

 Head to Tail
The graph shows how the temperature of water changes when water is heated by a
constant supply of heat energy.

1. Fit the best tail Tails: a fast random way

(given in the box)
are the three states of matter.
with each of the
Heads below. are packed in a regular way.
they are reversible.
an increase in kinetic energy.
Heads Tails
(a) Particles in a solid ……

(b) Gas particles move in ……

(c) Heating a substance gives the

particles ……

(d) Solids, liquids and gases …

(e) Melting and boiling are physical

changes because …

2. Explain why the temperature remains at 0 oC for a few minutes. Where has the
heat energy supplied gone to?

3. Explain why steam may be compressed while ice cannot be compressed.

 State Secrets
Why was the scientist frightened by the smooth, yellow substance she
discovered?
The letters in the shaded boxes will tell you.

1 State of matter with a fixed volume but

not shape

2 Anything that takes up space

3 Melts at 0oC and boils at 100oC

4 Change from a liquid to a gas

5 Gas, liquid and solid are three …… of matter

6 Phase of matter in which particles have

rapid, random motion

7 A solid, but not a liquid or a gas, has a

definite ……

8 Another word for state

9 A gas, but not a liquid or solid can be ……

10 Energy due to movement

11 To purify by boiling and condensing

12 To change from gas to liquid

13 Word that could be used instead of solidify

14 Liquid substance in which another

substances dissolve

15 Exerted by gases because of particle

movement

16 To separate muddy water, …… the mixture

17 Needed to make things happen

18 State of matter in which particles vibrate

about fixed positions

19 Has a regular arrangement of particles

20 Solids and liquids, but not gases, have a

definite ……

21 Describes distances between particles in a

solid

22 Change of state from solid to liquid

23 Describes distances between particles in a

gas

24 Measured in degrees Celsius

25 Liquids and gases are known as ……

The scientist was frightened because

 What happens to Candle wax when heated?

In this experiment, you will be investigating the changes of state in a

burning candle.

What to do.
a) In groups of 3-4, collect
- a test tube
- pieces of candle wax
- a bunsen burner
- a test tube holder

b) Light your bunsen burner. Place the candle wax into the test tube.
Using the test tube holder, heat the base of the test tube.
Remember to point the test tube away from people.

c) Observe what happens.

Writing up your experiment

(in your science books).

Your experiment write up should

include the following things.

1. The TITLE for the activity

2. An appropriate AIM (the aim

should explain what you are
trying to find out about)

3. The METHOD should be written in steps and explain clearly what you
did. Draw a scientific diagram to what you did.

4. Your RESULTS should explain clearly what you observed. This should
be written as sentences.
5. The CONCLUSION. Answer these questions in full sentences.

a) There were three states of matter that the candle wax changed
into; solid, liquid and gas. Write sentences to describe what the
candle wax looked like during each of the states.

SOLID LIQUID GAS

b) What caused these state changes in the candle?

c) Copy and complete the flow chart below to show the state changes
that occurred when the candle was heated.

i) ii) liquid iii) iv)

 The WATER CYCLE

Water is readily available to us in our homes by turning on a tap. This

water either comes from a storage tank or from pipes out of a
reservoir. Where does this water come from?
Rain is actually part of what we call the water cycle. Water travels in a
cycle, that is, it is recycled. Water is present on earth in places like
rivers, lakes, and oceans. The sun causes some of the water to
evaporate. That is the water changes from a liquid to a gas. It enters
the atmosphere as invisible water vapour. Plants also absorb water
from the ground and release water through their leaves in a process
called transpiration. In the atmosphere, where the temperature is
colder, the vapour condenses, forming clouds. Here it turns back into
liquid drops. These drops then fall as rain. The rain runs off the
ground and into rivers, lakes, and oceans. And the whole process is
repeated again – this is known as the WATER CYCLE.

Use the words below to complete the diagram . . .

Ocean, surface run-off , evaporation, condensation,

rain or snow, water in soil, transpiration
 Diffusion

If someone opens a bottle of perfume in the middle of a classroom you

soon smell it in other parts of the room. The fragrance spreads through
the air in all directions. This gradual mixing of substances is called
DIFFUSION.

Perfume EVAPORATES easily, forming a gas.

1) Why doesn’t the perfume evaporate when the lid is on the bottle?
You need to use the word particles in your answer!!!
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

When the lid is taken off, the particles spread out, moving from the
crowded bottle to places where there aren’t so many particles.

2) The diagram below is showing how perfume diffuses. Draw the

diagram into your books and write three sentences that describe
each part of the diagram.
 Diffusion I

Experiment: Diffusion in Liquids

Aim: To observe particle movement in liquids
Gear:  250 mL beaker  water
 safety glasses  potassium permanganate crystals
 spatula  Bunsen burner, tripod and gauze mat
Method:
1. Use a spatula to carefully place a crystal of potassium permanganate
at the bottom of a beaker of cold water. Leave for a few moments
and record your observations.
2. Carefully place a crystal of potassium permanganate at the bottom
of a beaker of cold water. Place it on a warm hot plate or over a
Bunsen burner flame and record your observations.
3. Explain your observations.
Observations:

Explanation:
 Diffusion II

Experiment: Diffusion in Gases (teacher demonstration)

Aim: To observe particle movement in gases
Gear:  safety glasses  concentrated ammonia (NH3)
 glass tube  concentrated hydrochloric acid (HCl)
 cotton wool on stoppers
Method:
1. Carefully dip the cotton wool attached to one stopper in
concentrated ammonia and fit it into one end of the diffusion tube.
2. Carefully dip the cotton wool attached to the second stopper in
concentrated hydrochloric acid and fit it into the other end of the
diffusion tube. Record your observations.
3. Explain your observations.
Observations:

Explanation:
 Matter, mixtures and pure substances.

Mixtures, e.g. brass (solid), milk and sea water (liquids), air (gas)

Matter Compounds, e.g. table salt, blue stone, Epsom salt (solids)
water, acetone (liquids), carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulphide
Pure Substances (gases)

Metals, e.g. iron, tin, lead, copper

(solids), mercury (liquid)
Elements
Non-metals, e.g. graphite, sulphur
(solids), hydrogen, oxygen (gases)

All things are made of _______ sometimes called materials, substances

or chemicals. Matter may be visible (a chair, a drink) or _______ (the
air). All matter is made up of tiny _______ that are so small they cannot
be seen with the most powerful known microscope. There are two types
of matter:

_______ are several substances mixed together. The properties of the

mixture can _______ because the amount of each substance can vary.
For example, steel is a mixture of iron and carbon and the _______ of
steel changes depending on how much carbon it contains.

Pure substances contain only _______ substance. Pure substances can

have more than one type of particle BUT the proportion of each type of
particle is _______. For example water is a pure substance containing
____ particles of hydrogen for each particle of _______. Pure
substances have fixed _______. For example, pure water always
_______ at 0˚C.

MATTER FIXED TWO FREEZES

INVISIBLE MIXTURES OXYGEN HARDNESS
PARTICLES ONE PROPERTIES VARY
 SEPARATING CINNAMON JELLY

You are a cook for the NZ rowing team. You have made a dessert of
jelly and cinnamon but have just realized that cinnamon shows up in
urine when athletes are tested for drugs.

TASK
You need to separate the cinnamon from the jelly before the athletes eat
it. You can’t throw the jelly away because you have made Megalitres of it
and you don’t have money to buy any other desserts.

Design an experiment to separate the cinnamon from the jelly, which has
already set.

You will need to write up your experiment with the following:

AIM
METHOD with diagrams showing how the equipment is set up
STEP by STEP instructions.

AIM: __________________________________________________

METHOD: _______________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________
 SOLUTIONS . . .

Use the words to complete the paragraph below.

o When a solid is mixed into a liquid and it disappears, we say the

solid has _________.
o Dissolving is different from melting, because in dissolving two
substances are involved. In _________ a solid turns into a liquid.
o Some common examples of dissolving are stirring sugar into your
coffee or mixing salt into water.
o Both salt and sugar are _________.
o A _________ is the end product of dissolving a solid into a liquid.
o The solid that has been dissolved is known as the _________ and
the liquid is known as the _________.

WATER – THE UNIVERSAL SOLVENT

o Water covers over 70% of the surface of the Earth, and it has
some special properties.
o Water can dissolve a wide range of substances, but not everything.
o The water in our seas and oceans contains a huge number of
dissolved substances, including salt.
o About 2.5 kg of salt can be recovered from 100 litres of sea water
by evaporation.
o Saltworks commercially harvest salt by using large shallow
evaporating ponds. As the water levels drop the salt particles
crystallise to form salt crystals.
o Swimmers find it easier to float in salt water as their bodies are
less dense compared to sea water the fresh water.
o In the Dead Sea, the salt level is so high it is very difficult to
drown.
o Dissolved salt also reduces the Freezing Point of water, which is
why salt is spread in icy roads to melt the ice quicker.

o
 Cool Down, It's Just Water!
Problem: What happens to the temperature of warm and cold water when
left at room temperature?

Hypothesis:
______________________________________________________.

Materials: 3 thermometers, 3 string rods, heating element, ice, paper

towels, 3- beakers, 300 ml's of water, stopwatch, graph paper.

Method:
1. Fill 1 beaker with ice and 100 ml of water. Add 100 ml of water to a
second beaker.
2. Heat 100 ml of water in the third beaker to 70° C.
3. Remove ice from the second beaker and measure the temperature
in each of the three beakers. Record the temperatures of all three
beakers of water (Below). This is time zero.
4. At one minute intervals record the temperatures of all of the
beakers. Stir all beakers between each reading. Continue this for
15 minutes.
5. Plot your data on a single graph. Use a different colored pencil for
each line of the graph that you are about to make.
Results:

Time Cold Water Temp. Warm Water Temp. Room Temp. Water

     

Conclusion:
Write three sentences describing what your data (from your graph)
shows. _________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
 PARTICLES in SOLUTION

1.
2

3 4
5

1. Write the number of the diagram which could represent:

a. a dry sugar cube _______
b. Pure water _______
c. a lump of an insoluble solid in water
_____
d. a solution of sugar and water
e. a sugar cube starting to dissolve in
water
f. a mixture of flour and water

2. Use the diagram above to help explain why a mixture of flour is cloudy,
but a mixture of sugar and water is clear.
________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

3. Andrea is mixing a fruit drink. She adds powder to water, stirs and
drinks the end product. What is:
a. the solution: ______ b. the solvent: ______ c. the solute: ______
4. Solutions can be described as saturated or unsaturated.
a. what is a saturated solution? _______________________________

_______________________________________________________

b. What is an unsaturated solution? ____________________________

_______________________________________________________

c. how could you tell the difference between a saturated and an

unsaturated solution by just looking.
_______________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________
 Soluble or insoluble
Many substances dissolve in water. They split up into very tiny particles
which are too small to be seen. A liquid that contains particles which are
so small that the liquid looks perfectly clear is called a solution.
Eg: When salt (NaCl) is added to water (H2O), the salt dissolves. We say
that the salt is soluble in water.
Sand is insoluble because it does not dissolve in water.

To test whether a solid is soluble or insoluble:

1. Add a small amount of the solid to the water in a test tube.

2. Then shake, after sealing with a rubber bung or your thumb.

3. Observe the test tube. If the solid has disappeared, then you have a
solution. If the solid is still there, then it is insoluble.

(note: the solution may be coloured. It is still soluble if the particles cannot be seen)
Find out which of the following substances are soluble or insoluble:

SOLUBLE OR
SUBSTANCE OBSERVATION INSOLUBLE
Sugar

Sulfur

Potassium
nitrate
Calcium oxide

Copper Sulfate
Complete the following sentences:
i) When a solid dissolves in a liquid such as water, a ________ is made.
ii) Two soluble substances that are used every day with food are
________ and ________.
iii) A solid which won’t dissolve in a liquid is said to be ________.

Saturation
How much solid can we add to water?

Activity
1. Measure 10ml of water into a test tube.
2. Add a quarter of a spoonful of salt (NaCl) and shake the test tube until
the salt dissolves.
3. Repeat with another equal amount of salt and shake until all the salt
dissolves again.
4. Continue until, no more salt will dissolve in the 10ml of water.

We call this a saturated solution.

Choose another soluble substance and see how much is needed to make a
saturated solution.

substance No. of ¼ spoonfuls till No. of ¼ spoonfuls till

saturated in cold water saturated in hot water
Salt (NaCl)

Copper sulphate
(CuSO4)

Potassium nitrate
(KNO3)

Warm the saturated solutions, what do you notice? ________________

_______________________________________________________

Complete the following sentences:

i) A soluble solid can be recovered from solution by ________.
ii) We call a solution that will not dissolve any more solid a ________
solution.
iii) The amount of salt which can dissolve in a given amount of hot water is
________ than the amount which will dissolve in cold water.
 Growing Crystals
Aim: To grow a giant copper sulfate crystal or create a crystalline
sculpture

Gear: beaker thread saturated copper sulfate solution

ice block pipe cleaners copper sulfate seed crystal
stick potash alum
Epsom salt

What to do:
1. To one end of a piece of thread, tie a copper sulfate seed crystal.
Wind the other end around the ice block stick and suspend the seed
crystal in a beaker containing saturated copper sulfate solution.
Leave the beaker in a cool place for a couple of weeks. The solution
will slowly evaporate and as it does so, a large copper sulfate crystal
will grow.
2. Create the ‘backbone’ of a sculpture using pipe cleaners. To one end
of a piece of thread, tie your pipe cleaner sculpture. Wind the
other end around the ice block stick and suspend the pipe cleaner
sculpture in a beaker containing saturated copper sulfate solution.
Leave the beaker in a cool place for a couple of weeks. The solution
will slowly evaporate and as it does so, copper sulfates crystal will
grow round the pipe cleaners forming a magnificent sculpture.
Try using potash alum or Epsom salt. These solutions will produce
crystals of a different shape.

Evaluation:
 Dissolving – the three ‘sols’
When salt is added to water and the mixture is stirred, the salt seems to
disappear. The particles that make up salt have split apart and have
spread out into the water. The salt is said to have dissolved and we say
that salt is soluble in water. The solid, liquid and mixture involved in the
dissolving process all have special names. Link these names to their
description below:

Solute The liquid used to dissolve a solid

Solution The solid that dissolves into a liquid
Solvent A mixture of liquid and dissolved solid

Solutions
Use words from the Key Words to fill the gaps.
Many substances dissolve in water because water is a good ………...… . If

you add some sugar to water in a beaker and stir it, the sugar Key
disappears. It …………… . Words
colloid
Sugar is …………… in water. Sugar and water together form a ……………
dissolves
with sugar being the …………… and water being the solvent. insoluble
If you add flour to water in a beaker and stir it, the flour will …………… invisible
mixture
dissolve. Flour is …………… in water. The particles of flour are dispersed
not
through the water. This mixture is called a …………… . The particles in a settle
suspension are …………… under a microscope. The flour particles will soluble
solute
gradually …………… and form a layer on the bottom of the beaker. Some
solution
mixtures are murky and the particles are …………… under a microscope solvent
and will not settle. These …………… are called colloids. Milk is suspension
visible
a …………… .
 Dissolving

1. The diagram shows

the three things that
may happen when a
solid is put into
water. Fill in the
boxes (one has been
done for you).

One way we can tell if something has dissolved is if there is a colour

change.
For example, if blue stone crystals (the solute) is placed in a beaker of
water (the solvent) a blue solution forms. The blue stone has dissolved.
But what if the solution has no colour?

2. Jane has two beakers. In one she had pure water, in the other a
table salt solution. She had mixed them up. Now she could not tell
which was which. She remembered that her teacher said that tasting
was a dangerous test. Explain what Jane could do to identify her
liquids.
 Safety
All chemicals and equipment
Dissolving Experiment should be treated with
Aim: care. poisonous.

To find out how much space (volume) particles take up when they ‘dissolve’
Gear:
100 mL measuring cylinder coarse gravel
250 mL beaker fine sand
safety glasses water
stirring rod methylated spirits
electronic balance ammonium nitrate crystals 50 mL + 50 mL  …… mL
Method (a) Coarse gravel and fine sand

1. Use the measuring cylinder to measure 50 mL of coarse gravel and pour it into
the beaker. Measure 50 mL of fine sand.
Predict the total volume of the mixture when the gravel and sand are mixed.
Explain.
Predicted volume:

Explanation:

2. Add the fine sand to the gravel in the beaker. Mix well using the stirring rod
and pour the mixture into the measuring cylinder.
Record the total volume of the mixture.
Explain why your measured volume may be different from the

Predicted volume:

Measured volume:

Explanation:
Method (b) Methylated spirits and water
1. Use the measuring cylinder to measure 50 mL of water and pour it into the
beaker. Measure 50 mL of methylated spirits (meths).
Predict the total volume of the mixture when the water and meths are mixed.
Explain.

Predicted volume:

Explanation:

2. Pour the water from the beaker into the measuring cylinder (which contains
the meths) and mix well.
Record the total volume of the mixture. Explain why your measured volume
may be different from the predicted volume.

Measured volume:

Explanation:
 Solution Words

1. Explain the difference between melting and dissolving.

2. Thomas has spilt ink on his white shirt. On

the table are some solvents and the way they Solvent Ink Shirt
act on the ink and the shirt material. Fabric
W insoluble soluble
Which of the solvents should
be used to remove the ink X soluble soluble
without damaging the shirt?
Y soluble insoluble

Explain why each of the other solvents Z insoluble insoluble

would be unsuitable.

3. Ann is mixing up a fruit drink. She adds powder to water, stirs and then drinks
the mixture.

What is the What is the

solution? solute?

What is the
solvent?
 MIXTURES
When scientists talk about matter they mean every substance in the
universe. Some of these substances are pure substances made up of only
one type of atom (ELEMENTS), and others are made up of different
atoms combined together (COMPOUNDS).

However, most substances are MIXTURES. These are made up of

different types of substances that can be easily separated. Everyday
examples of mixtures include, water, soil, soft drinks, muesli, air, milk,
lipstick. We use a number of different techniques for separating
mixtures, depending on the properties of the substances in the mixture.

Separating Solid/Liquid Mixtures

Filtering
This is very similar to sieving and is used to remove non-dissolved solids
that are suspended in the liquid. Muddy water can be cleaned by filtering
out the non-dissolved substances in the water. In a science lab, we use
special paper (filter paper) with lots of tiny holes. The non-dissolved
solids cannot pass through the paper but the water does. Filters can also
be used to remove substances from air. Examples of filters include,
coffee filters, water filters, air filter in cars and vacuum cleaners, the
hairs in your nose act as a filter, your kidney filter your blood,

Decanting
Sometimes the solids in a liquid are large or settle at the bottom of the
container. We can therefore carefully pour off the liquid leaving the
solids behind.

Centrifuging
This method spins the mixture to separate non-dissolved solids from the
liquid. The solids settle to the bottom of the tubes and the liquid can be
easily removed. The dairy industry uses this technique to separate cream
from milk. Red blood cells can also be separated from the liquid (plasma)
by centrifuging.

Evaporation
This is used when the solid is dissolved in the liquid. When the liquid has
evaporated, only the solid remains behind. Sea water is a mixture of
different salts and water. We can evaporate off the water, leaving
behind the salt.
Chromatography
Different solids mixed together can sometimes be separated by
dissolving them in a solvent. When filter paper is placed in the solvent,
the solvent carries the solids different distances. We can separate the
different colours of ink using chromatography

For each of the diagrams below, use the information to decide which
separation method the diagram represents.
 Nature of Matter Crossword
1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9

10 11 12 13

14 15

16

17 18

19

20 21

22

23 24 25

26 27

28

29

Clues Across Clues Down

1 change that is often easy to reverse 2 does dry ice sublime?
9 element that sublimes when heated 3 separation technique for inks
10 fist two letters of the alphabet 4 gas to liquid change of state
14 particles arranged in orderly fashion 5 separation technique for muddy water
15 substance which is dissolved 6 used to write notes
19 liquid which dissolves another 7 can be compressed
22 flows from hot to cold bodies 8 liquid to solid phase change
23 indicates hotness or coldness 11 liquid to gas change of state
26 liquid to gas phase change 12 particles spread out in another substance
27 tasting chemicals could make you …… 13 change of phase from solid to gas
28 phase 16 water in the solid phase
29 mass per unit volume 17 left after evaporation of a salt solution
We’re the solid 18 composition of all matter
sorts. You can 20 fixed volume and take the shape of a container
rely on us to be
in our place. We 21 temperature measured in degrees ……
go everywhere 24 solid to liquid change of state
together.
25 phase
We’re the gas gang.
We’re lively, loose and
free to do our own thing
by ourselves.

We’re not as up-

tight as the solid set.
We still like to go
about in groups.
We’re the liquid lot.
 MATTER REVISION

How much do I know???

1. Can I identify something as being a liquid, solid or a gas?

2. Can I identify properties of different states of matter e.g.

compressibility (can it be squashed into a small space), boiling
point etc.

3. Do I know how the particles are arranged in the different

states of matter?

4. Do I know why the particle arrangement in the different states

affects the properties of a substance?

5. Can I remember the different stages in the water cycle?

6. Do I know what melting is? What happens to the particles when

something melts?

7. Do I know what dissolving is? What happens to the particles

when something dissolves?

8. How many different ways can I think of to separate a mixture?

What have I learned today.