Natural Science, Gr.

8 Class notes Week 5: 31 May – 4 June 2021

Main source:
De Beer, J.J.J. et al. (2013). Via Afrika natural scinece CAPS: Gr 8: Learner book.
Cape Town: Via Afrika Publishers

Strand 2: Matter and materials

Topic 2: Particle model of matter

1. The nature of particles
“Particle matter of matter” is a theory to explain how substances act.
• “Particles” refers to the atoms and molecules that make up all substances.
• “Model” refers to our theoretical knowledge of how atoms act, as it is
impossible to observe them without very specialised and expensive
microscopes.
There are empty spaces between particles where nothing exists except open space.
Matter can differ according to how much space exists between particles.
There are mainly 3 different states of matter:
• Solids
Particles in solids:
o Are closely packed and in regular arrangement, with very small spaces
between them.
o Are the same distance between each other.
o Don’t move around, but vibrate against each other.
o Have strong forces between each other.

• Liquids
Particles in liquids:
o Are irregularly arranged, close together, and with small spaces
between them.
o Move around, slide past each other.
o Have weaker forces between each other than in solids.

• Gases
Particles in gases:
o Are not arranged in specific order, and have very big spaces between
them.
o Move very fast.
o Have very weak forces between each other.

Particles in liquids and gases have the ability to spread and fill a room or container.

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 • E.g., when you use an air freshener or incense stick to remove bad smells
from a room, you place new particles in the air which then spread and fill the
whle room.
• E.g., when you place a drop of food colouring in water and stir the water, all
the water will take on the colour.
Diffusion is the process whereby particles of liquids and solids move from an area of
high concentration (where there are lots of this particle) to an area of low
concentration (where there are few of this particle). These particles diffuse to create
an even concentration throughout the whole area.

2. Change of state
Heating or cooling can cause a material to change state.

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