Module No.

3
Nature of Matter
Fluid Mechanics
SCI 103

This course deals with the science of fluids (liquids and gases). It discusses
aerodynamics, the study of air and gases in motion; and hydrodynamics – the study of liquids in
motion. It also explains the fundamental concepts and principles relating to speed, pressure and
forces particularly Bernoulli, Pascal and Archimedes’. It allows students to gain knowledge of
how this topic is applied to daily activities and solve practical problems.

Total Learning Time: 3 hours per week

In science, matter is the term for any type of material. Matter is anything that has mass
and takes up space. At a minimum, matter requires at least one subatomic particle, although most
matter consists of atoms. The word matter is sometimes used to refer to a pure substance.
Matter can exists in three phases: solid, liquid and gas. There are different properties of
matter which enables us to distinguish one kind from another.

At the end of this module, the students are expected to:

1. describe the nature of matter

2. distinguish the state of matter form each other
3. enumerate the different characteristics of matter
4. apply equations to solve related problems
5. investigate surface tension
6. cite examples of applications of the different characteristics of matter in day to day
activities

1. Nature of Matter
2. States of Matter
3. Density
4. Specific gravity
5. Cohesion
6. Adhesion

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 7. Surface Tension
8. Capillary Action

Nature of Matter

A gas is an example form of matter whose molecules are very far from each other,
therefore it is compressible. And because the molecules are far from each other, the attractive
forces between them are weak.

The molecules of a liquid are much closer together than those of a gas. This made liquid
practically incompressible. Since the molecules are closer, the attractive forces between them are
stronger than those between the particles of a gas.

Liquids and gases follow the shapes of their container. Since particles of liquids and
gases have greater freedom of movement enabling them to flow, they are often referred to as
fluids. A fluid is any substance that tends to flow or follow the shape of its container.

Solid is a state of matter that has a definite volume and shape. Their particles are very
close to each other. These particles are held together by strong forces of attraction.

Particle Theory of Matter

1. All matter is made up of extremely tiny particles.
2. Each pure substance has its own kind of particle, different from the particles of other pure
substances.
3. Particles attract each other.
4. Particles are always moving.
5. Particles at a higher temperature move faster on average than particles at a lower temperature.

Table 1: Arrangement of Particles of Matter

Matter Arrangement of Particles

Solid Tightly packed
Liquid Loosely packed
Gas Far apart
Plasma Far apart

Table 2: Movement of Particles of Matter

Matter Movement of particles

Solid Vibrates in their place
Liquid Slip and slide over each other
Gas Moves freely and randomly
Plasma Moves randomly creating some sparks

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States of Matter

A. Solids – particles do not have enough energy to move from place to place
• Particles of solids are tightly packed, vibrating about a fixed position.
• Solids have a definite shape and a definite volume.
• Solids have mass.
• Solids take up space.
• Can be regular or irregularly shaped
B. Liquids – particles have enough energy to break some of the attractive forces but not all of
them.
• Particles of liquids are tightly packed, but are far enough apart to slide over one another.
• Liquids take the shape of their container and have definite volume.
• Liquids have mass.
• Liquids take up space.
• Molecules will flow or glide over one another, but stay toward the bottom of the
container.
• Motion is a bit more random than that of a solid.

C. Gases – particles have enough energy to break all of the attractive forces
• Particles of gases are very far apart and move freely.
• Gases have an indefinite shape and an indefinite volume.
• Gases spread out to fill the entire space given.
• Gases have mass.
• Gases take up space.
• Molecules are in continual straight-line motion.
• When the molecules collide with each other, or with the walls of a container, there is no
loss of energy.

D. Plasma- lot like a gas, but the particles are electrically charged.
• Lightning is a plasma.
• Used in fluorescent light bulbs and Neon lights.
• Particles of plasma are very far apart and move freely.
• Plasma have an indefinite shape and an indefinite volume, it spread out to fill the entire
space given.
• When the molecules collide with each other, or with the walls of a container, there is loss
of energy.
• Has the ability to conduct electricity

Table 3: Properties of Gases

Properties of Gases: Summary

Property Description Units of Measurement
Pressure (P) The force exerted by a gas against the walls Atmosphere (atm), Pascal
of the container. (Pa), mmHg, torr
Volume (V) The space occupied by the gas. Liter (L) , Milliliter (mL)
Temperature (T) The kinetic energy or the motion of the gas Celsius (0C)
particles. Kelvin (K)
Quantity (n) The amount of gas. Grams (g), moles (n)

Density and Specific Gravity

Different materials have different densities. From everyday experience, you recognize
that materials have different masses. You also observed that some float on water while others
sink. Those that floats are less dense than those that sink. Different materials with equal volumes
do not necessarily have the same mass. The one with the smallest mass is the least dense.
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DENSITY
 The principle of density was discovered by the Greek scientist Archimedes
 Density is a physical property of an object that combines the space that an object takes up
and the amount of matter present in the object
 Mathematically, density is defined as the mass of an object divided by its volume.
 Density is the mass of a substance per unit volume. In the form of an equation, it is
represented by:
𝒎
𝛒 = 𝑽 where
ρ = Greek letter rho = density m = mass of the object (g or kg)
V = volume (cm3 or m3).
 The SI unit for density is kg/m3.
 The density of a substance

Water is a good example for density because at everyday temperature, its density is close
to 1,000 kg/cubic meter or 1 g/cubic centimeter

Example 1
Calculate the density in g/mL of 30 mL of solution that weighs 120 grams.
Given:
m = 120 g V = 30 mL ρ=?
𝒎 𝟏𝟐𝟎𝒈
𝛒= = = 𝟒 𝒈/𝒎𝑳
𝑽 𝟑𝟎𝒎𝑳

Specific Gravity
 The specific gravity is the ratio between the density of an object, and a reference
substance.
 The specific gravity can tell us, based on its value, if the object will sink or float in our
reference substance.
 Usually our reference substance is water which always has a density of 1 gram per
milliliter or 1 gram per cubic centimeter.
 The formula for specific gravity, given that the reference substance is water, is the
density of the object divided by the density of the water.

 The specific gravity of solids may also be

found by applying Archimedes’ principle.
𝑊𝑜𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑖𝑟
𝑉
𝑜𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑖𝑎𝑖𝑟 𝑊𝑜𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑖𝑟
𝑆𝑝 𝑔𝑟 = 𝑊𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑑 =𝑉𝑜𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑖𝑟= 𝑉𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑑 = 𝑆𝑝 𝑔𝑟 = 𝑊𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑑
𝑉𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑑

𝑊𝑜𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑖𝑟
𝑆𝑝 𝑔𝑟 =
𝑊𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑜𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟

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  If the density of water used is 1 g/cm3, the specific gravity of the substance is numerically
equal to its density.
 Densities of solids and liquids do not vary much with the changes in condition such as
temperature and pressure. For gases, which can be easily compressed and expanded,
density may vary significantly with a change in temperature and pressure.
Note: The specific gravity has no unit because the units of the numerator and the denominator
are the same, so they just cancel each other out.

Example 2
You have a sample of granite with density 174.8 lbs/ft 3. The density of water is 62.4 lbs/ft 3.
What is the specific gravity of the granite now?

Given:
ρobject = 174.8 lbs/ft3 ρ water= 62.4 lbs/ft3 Sp gr = ?
ρ𝑜𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 174.8 lbs/ft3
𝑆𝑝 𝑔𝑟 = = = 2.8
ρ𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 62.4 lbs/ft3

Table 4: Density of Some Common Substances

Cohesion and Adhesion Substance Density (kg/m3)

• Cohesion refers to the attraction of Solids
molecules for other molecules of the same Platinum 21.4 x 10 3
kind, and water molecules have strong Gold 19.3 x 10 3
cohesive forces thanks to their ability to Uranium 19.0 x 10 3
form hydrogen bonds with one another. Lead 11.3 x 10 3
• Adhesion is the attraction of molecules of Copper 8.9 x 10 3
one kind for molecules of a different kind, Iron and Steel 7.9 x 10 3
and it can be quite strong for water, Aluminum 2.7 x 10 3
especially with other molecules bearing Granite 2.7 x 10 3
positive or negative charges. Glass 2.6 x 10 3
Concrete 2.3 x 10 3
 Cohesive forces are those that hold the body Bone 1.7 x 10 3
of a liquid together with minimum surface Ice 0.917 x 10 3
area and adhesive forces are those that try to Wood (Pine) 0.5 x 10 3
make a body of a liquid spread out. So if the
cohesive forces are stronger then the Liquids
adhesive forces, the body of water will Mercury 13.6 x 10 3
maintain its shape, but if the opposite is true
Seawater 1.025 x 10 3
than the liquid will be spread
Water (at 40C) 1.0 x 10 3
out, maximizing its surface area. Any
substance that you can add to a liquid that
Ethyl alcohol 0.79 x 10 3
allows a liquid to increase its surface area is
called a wetting agent. Dish soap is a great Gases
Air 1.29
example of a wetting agent. 1.98
Carbon dioxide
Steam 0.60

Note: density in kg/m3 divided by

1000 is equal to g/cm3.

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  There are four main types of wetting agents: anionic, cationic, amphoteric, and nonionic.
1. Anionic, cationic, and amphoteric wetting agents ionize when mixed with water.
2. Anions have a negative charge, while cations have a positive charge.
3. Amphoteric wetting agents can act as either anions or cations, depending on the acidity of
the solution.
4. Nonionic wetting agents do not ionize in water. A possible advantage for using a nonionic
wetting agent is that it does not react with other ions in the water, which could lead to
formation of a precipitate.

Molecules in the liquid state experience strong intermolecular attractive forces. When those
forces are between like molecules, they are referred to as cohesive forces. For example, the
molecules of a water droplet are held together by cohesive forces, and the especially strong cohesive
forces at the surface constitute surface tension. When the attractive forces are between unlike
molecules, they are said to be adhesive forces.

The adhesive forces between water molecules and the walls of a glass tube are stronger than
the cohesive forces lead to an upward turning meniscus at the walls of the vessel and contribute
to capillary action. The attractive forces between molecules in a liquid can be viewed as residual
electrostatic forces and are sometimes called van der Waals forces or van der Waals bonds.

Importance of Cohesive and Adhesive forces:

1. They play a role in many water-based processes in biology, including the movement of water
to the tops of trees and the drainage of tears from tear ducts in the corners of your eyes.
2. Water droplets form on plants, allowing the plants to soak up the water over time rather than
all at once.
3. Water striders (insects) glide across water surfaces owing to the cohesive property of water.
4. Adhesion allows for water to move against gravity through plant cells.
5. Capillary action owing to adhesion allows blood to move through tiny vessels in some animal
bodies.

A simple example of cohesion in action comes from the

water strider, an insect that relies on surface tension to stay
afloat on the surface of water. Surface tension of water can cause
things to float which are denser than water, allowing organisms to
literally walk on water, this interesting insect can freely run along
the surface of a quiet pond. Its tiny mass and the geometry of its
legs allow it to be supported by the high surface tension of water.
It can run across the surface of water, due to the intermolecular forces of the molecules, and the force
of the strider which is distributed to its legs

Surface Tension

Surface tension is the energy, or work, required to increase the surface area of a liquid by a
unit of area due to intermolecular forces. This forms a surface or "film" which makes it more
difficult to move an object through the surface than to move it when it is completely submersed.
The surface tension of a liquid results from an imbalance of intermolecular attractive forces,
the cohesive forces between molecules:

 A molecule in the bulk liquid experiences cohesive forces with other molecules in all
directions.
 A molecule at the surface of a liquid experiences only net inward cohesive forces..

SURFACE TENSION OF WATER Surface tension formula can be

Surface tension is typically measured in
dynes/cm, the force in dynes required to break a film
of length 1 cm. equivalently, it can be stated as
mathematically expressed as:
T=F/L
Where: F is the force per unit length
L is the length in which force act
T is the surface tension ofmgbg/21
the liquid
surface energy in ergs per square centimeter. Water at 20°C has a surface tension of 72.8 dynes/cm
compared to 22.3 for ethyl alcohol and 465 for mercury. It would take a force of 72 dynes to break a
surface film of water 1 cm long. The surface tension of water decreases significantly with
temperature. The surface tension arises from the polar nature of the water molecule.

Examples for Surface Tension:

Don't touch the tent!

Soaps and detergents
Common tent materials are somewhat rainproof in that the
surface tension of water will bridge the pores in the finely -help the cleaning of clothes by lowering the
woven material. But if you touch the tent material with surface tension of the water so that it more
your finger, you break the surface tension and the rain will readily soaks into pores and soiled areas.
drip through.
Clinical test for jaundice Washing with cold water

Normal urine has a surface tension of about 66 dynes/cm
but if bile is present (a test for jaundice), it drops to about
55. In the Hay test, powdered sulfur is sprinkled on the
urine surface. It will float on normal urine, but sink if the
S.T. is lowered by the bile.
Surface tension disinfectants
Disinfectants are usually solutions of low surface tension.
This allow them to spread out on the cell walls of bacteria
and disrupt them. One such disinfectant, S.T.37, has a
name which points to its low surface tension compared to
the 72 dynes/cm for water.
The major reason for using hot water for
washing is that its surface tension is lower
and it is a better wetting agent. But if the
detergent lowers the surface tension, the
heating may be unneccessary.
Floating a needle
If carefully placed on the surface, a small
needle can be made to float on the surface of
water even though it is several times as dense
as water. If the surface is agitated to break up
the surface tension, then needle will quickly
sink.

FORMATION OF A MENISCUS

The shape of the meniscus and the relative height of a mercury column when a glass
capillary is put into liquid mercury. The meniscus is convex and the surface of the liquid inside
the tube is lower than the level of the liquid outside the tube. Because water adheres strongly to
the polar surface of glass, it has a concave meniscus, whereas mercury, which does not adhere to
the glass, has a convex meniscus.

When liquid water is confined in a tube, its surface (meniscus) has a concave shape
because water wets the surface and creeps up the side. Mercury does not wet glass - the cohesive
forces within the drops are stronger than the adhesive forces between the drops and glass. When
liquid mercury is confined in a tube, its surface (meniscus) has a convex shape because the
cohesive forces in liquid mercury tend to draw it into a drop.

CAPILLARY ACTION

Capillary action is the rise of a liquid that wets a tube up the inside of a
small diameter tube (i.e., a capillary) immersed in the liquid.

 The liquid creeps up the inside of the tube (as a result of adhesive
forces between the liquid and the inner walls of the tube) until the
adhesive and cohesive forces of the liquid are balanced by the weight
of the liquid.
 The smaller the diameter of the tube, the higher the liquid rises.
 Adhesion enables water to “climb” upwards through thin glass tubes
(called capillary tubes) placed in a beaker of water.

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VISCOSITY
Viscosity is a fluid’s resistance to flow. The more viscous a fluid is, the harder it is to
make a fluid flow. Ever heard the expression ‘slower than molasses in winter time’? Well
molasses is so slow because it is a very viscous liquid, therefore very resistant to flow. Viscosity
also varies with temperature but how much it varies is based on the fluid itself.
Gases have very little viscosity. Almost any pressure differential is going to cause a gas
to flow. Liquids run the scale on viscosity. On the more viscous end of the scale are thick
liquids such as jellies, peanut butter, and engine oil. Moving towards the less viscous end of the
scale are liquids such as water and then alcohols.

The importance of viscosity can be understood from the following examples.

1. The oil used as a lubricant for heavy machinery parts should have a high viscous coefficient.
To select a suitable lubricant, we should know its viscosity and how it varies with temperature
Note: As temperature increases, the viscosity of the liquid decreases. Also, it helps to choose
oils with low viscosity used in car engines (light machinery).
2. The highly viscous liquid is used to damp the motion of some instruments and is used as
brake oil in hydraulic brakes.
3. Blood circulation through arteries and veins depends upon the viscosity of fluids.
4. Millikan conducted the oil drop experiment to determine the charge of an electron. He used
the knowledge of viscosity to determine the charge.
5. Lubrication in vehicles. Viscosity also affects the rate of oil consumption and the ease with
which your vehicle will start in hot or cold conditions. Some oils have a more stable viscosity,
while others react to heat or cold; if your oil's viscosity index is low, it may become thinner as
it heats, which can cause problems as you operate your car on a hot summer's day.
6. Cooking. Viscosity plays a significant role in the preparation and serving of food. Cooking
oils may or may not change viscosity as they heat, while many become much more viscous as
they cool. Some viscous fluids add texture to foods; honey, for example, is quite viscous and
can change the "mouth feel" of a dish.
7. Manufacturing. Manufacturing equipment requires appropriate lubrication to run smoothly.
Lubricants that are too viscous can jam and clog pipelines. Lubricants that are too thin
provide too little protection for moving parts.
8. Medicine. Viscosity can be of critical importance in medicine as fluids are introduced into
the body intravenously. Blood viscosity is a major issue: blood that is too viscous can form
dangerous internal clots, while blood that is too thin will not clot; this can lead to dangerous
blood loss and even death..

Solve for the following problems and show your process.

1. Calculate for the density in g/mL of 0.4 L of solution weighing 150 grams.
2. Calculate the density in g/mL of 3000 mL of solution weighing 6 kg.
3. What is the specific gravity of a substance that weights 75 g and occupies a volume of 150
mL?
4. The specific gravity of aluminum is 2.7. Find its density in kg/m 3.

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Part I. Problem Solving: Solve the following problems and show your process.

1. What is the mass in kilograms of 1 liter of kerosene which has a specific gravity of 0.8?

2. What is the specific gravity of a fish weighing 0.32 kg in air and 0.021 kg in water?

3. A geologist finds that a rock from the moon has a weight of 7.20 N in air. Its weight when
submerged in water is 5.88 N. What is its density?

Part II. Output Based

Make an infographics about the nature of matter.

1. Why is water special? Read about water and its special properties. Make a summary of your
readings and include your reading references or source of information. You may visit the site
below for reference.

https://www.khanacademy.org/science/high-school-biology/hs-biology-foundations/hs-water-
and-life/a/hs-water-and-life-review

a. Books

1. Navaza, D. Science and Technology: You and the Natural World Series; Physics Textbook 2 nd
Edition. Phoenix Publishing House

2. Santisteban, CJ. (2009) Breaking Through Physics; C and E Publishing Inc.

3. Giancoli, S. (2016). Physics Principles with Application. 7 th Ed. Singapore.Pearson

Education
b. Website

1. http://www.chem4kids.com/files/matter_plasma.html
2. https://www.ck12.org/book/CK-12-Physical-Science-For-Middle-School/section/4.1/
3. https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/1499-states-of-matter
4. https://www.britannica.com/science/density
5. https://www.britannica.com/science/specific-gravity
6. https://www.dummies.com/education/science/physics/density-and-specific-gravity-
in-physics-problems/
7. http://www.brainkart.com/article/Applications-of-viscosity_36196/

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