Matter

Matter is any substance that occupies space and can be detected or perceived by the
human senses, that is, it has mass. Substances like water, wood, paper etc are all
examples of matter since they occupy space and have mass.
Matter exist in three states, solid, liquid and gases. Examples, of solid matter are rocks,
glass etc; liquids are water, ammonia solution; gases are oxygen, nitrogen, water vapour
etc.
All substances have a preferred state in which they naturally exist at everyday room
temperature; for example water occurs naturally as a liquid, while steel exist as a solid.
However if the condition around these given substance changes, the substance can also
change its state to adapt to its new environment. A common example of this is with
water. Water generally exists in its liquid state, however if exposed to very high
temperatures water evaporates to become a gas called water vapour. At low temperatures
water will become a solid call ice. Matter can be changed from one form to another by
manipulating the temperature. The temperature at which matter changes from one state to
another is given a special name. When heat is added and the temperature increases matter
changes as follows

Solid Melting → liquid Boiling → Gas

The melting point of a substance is the temperature that the substance changes from solid
to liquid. The boiling point is the temperature at which a substance changes from liquid to
gas. For example, the melting point of water is zero degrees Celsius (0oC), and the
boiling point is one hundred degree Celsius (100oC). All substances have specific
temperature for their melting and boiling points.

If heat is taken away and the temperature decreases matter changes as follows

Gas condensation Liquid freezing Solid

Note that the melting point and the freezing point for a given substance is identical, the
change in matter depends on whether the substance is being heated or cooled.
For example
Water freezes and melts at 0oC it just depends on whether the substance is being heated or
cooled.

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Heating curves

The Kinetic theory of Matter

The kinetic theory of matter states that all matter consists of extremely tiny particles
(atoms, molecules or ions) which are in constant random motion. The kinetic theory can
be used to explain the properties of the three states of matter.

Solids

The particles in a solid are closely packed and are arranged in an orderly manner. The
attractions between the particles called the inter-particle forces are very strong and as a
result the particles in solids cannot move around; instead they are only able to vibrate
slightly about a stationary position. Vibrations are normally achieved in solid due to the
addition of energy normally heat on the solid. Heat supplies energy that the particles
absorb, which causes them to become excited and vibrate. Solid have definite shape and
constant volume. Solid are also not easily compressed because, the particles are already
packed so close to each other, so there is no room for them to move closer together.

Liquid
The particles in a liquid are arranged differently from solids. Liquids contain particles
that are not as tightly packed as in solids. Since the particles are not arranged as closely
as in solids the force of attraction between them are not as strong. The particles are also
able to move to a greater degree than in solids. Liquids have no definite shape but instead
take the shape of the container that they find themselves in. Finally liquids are not easily
compressible; the distance between the particles is not sufficiently large enough for them
to move closer together by any large degree hence liquids can only be compressed
slightly.

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Gas
The particles in gases are arranged so that they are further away from each other than in
both solids and liquids. The particles are so far apart that the forces of attraction between
them are very weak. This weak force of attraction between gas particles allows them to
move random in all directions. Gases like liquids have no definite shape or volume but,
instead take the shape and volume of their storage containers. Gases are also very easy to
compress. The larger spaces between the particles allow for compression.

The Particulate Theory of Matter

This theory says simply that all matter is made up of particles. This principle can be
illustrated using three fundamental processes
1. Diffusion
2. Osmosis
3. Brownian Motion
These three process shows that matter cannot be one quantity but must be made up of
smaller subdivisions or particles.

Diffusion
Diffusion is the process by which different substances mix as a result of the random
motion of their particles. Diffusion in gases is rapid (NB the lighter a gas the faster it
diffuses), but in liquids the process happens much slower and even slower in solids.
Diffusion in gases occurs rapidly with the two gases mixing completely becoming nearly
uniform. The diffusion of a solute through a solvent to produce a solution of uniform
concentration is slower, but otherwise very similar to the process of gaseous diffusion. In
solids diffusion occurs very slowly at normal temperature.
Diffusion helps to make the argument that all matter is made up of particles. If matter
was one quantity rather than made up of small particles this type of mixing would not be
possible.

Osmosis
Osmosis is the passage of solvent particles through a semi permeable membrane from an
area of high concentration to an area of low concentration. Osmosis can be illustrated
with plant cells. Plant cells need to contain just the right amount of water if the plant is to
thrive. If a plant cell is placed in salty water, water moves through the cell wall and the
plant wilts and die. If solvents were not made up of particles osmosis would be
impossible to explain.

Brownian Motion.
Brownian motion is the continuous random movement of small solid particles
(microscopic) when suspended in a fluid medium. (Fluids are liquids and gases)
Brownian motion was first discovered when botanist Robert Brown in 1827 when

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studying pollen particles. The pollen grains were floating on water but there were noticed
to be moving erratically. The water molecules were bombarding the pollen grains
resulting in their random movement.

Matter can be categorize as either pure substances or mixtures.

Pure substance are made up of one type of material and cannot be separated into two or
more different species using some kind of physical technique such as filtering, heating or
distillation.

Mixtures consist of two or more substance that can be separated from each other using
physical techniques. Mixtures are either homogeneous or heterogeneous. A homogeneous
mixture is one that has one uniform phase. Homogeneous mixtures are general referred to
as solutions. Salt dissolved in water is an example of a solid in liquid homogeneous
mixture. If the solution is closely examined the salt particles cannot be identified
differently from the water particles. The solution is in one uniform phase. Mixtures of
this type can be separated using distillation. Ethanol dissolved in water is a liquid in
liquid solution. When two liquids can dissolve in each other such as ethanol and water
there are said to be miscible liquids. Miscible liquid are separated using fractional
distillation.
Heterogeneous mixtures are mixtures where the different components are in different
phases and can be identified upon close examination. Examples of heterogeneous
mixtures are sand in water and oil in water.

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