NAME:_________________________ Score:__________

GRADE/SECTION:_________________ Date:__________
SCIENCE 8 (3rd Quarter)
Activity 1
Which is matter, which is not?
Objectives:
After performing this activity, you should be able to:
1. describe common properties of matter;
2. distinguish properties of matter from those of non-matter; and
3. demonstrate the skill of measuring mass.
Materials Needed:
1 teaspoon sugar in a plastic cup or small beaker
½ cup tap water
1 piece, stone or small rock
1 piece, ball (basketball, volleyball, or small beach ball)
3 pieces of leaves (from any plant or tree)
5 small wide-mouthed bottles or cups or 150-mL or 200-mL beakers
1 platform balance or weighing scale
1 small air pump
Procedure:
1. Among the materials displayed in front of you, which do you think is classified as matter? Put a check (/)
under the appropriate column in Table 1. You may make a table similar to the one below. With your group
mates, discuss the reason to explain your answer for each sample. Write your answer in the last column.
Table 1.Identifying which is matter
Is the sample Reason for your answer
matter?
Sample
Yes No Not
sure
sugar granules
water
stone
air inside ball
leaves
smoke
heat
light

2. If your group cannot agree on a common answer, you may put a check mark under “not sure” and write
all the reasons given by the members of your group.
Q1. What similarities do you observe among the first five given samples? Write these common
characteristics.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Q2. Does each sample have a measurable mass? Prove your answer by demonstrating how you measure
the mass of each sample. Record the mass you got for each sample.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Q3. Do you think that each sample occupies space? Write the reason(s) for your answer.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Q4. How about smoke? Does it have mass? Does it occupy space? Explain your answer.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Q5. Do you think that heat and light have mass? Do they occupy space? Explain your answer.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________