CLASSIFICATION OF MATTER

Different materials may be distinguished by their properties, the most obvious of which is the
physical state, or state of aggregation, on the basis of which all materials are classified as solids,
liquids, and gases.
The characteristic feature of gas is that its molecules are not held together, but move about
freely.
Because of this freedom of molecular motion a gas does not possess either definite shape or
definite size, it shapes itself to its container. A liquid, on the other hand, has a definite volume,
but does not have a definite shape. Only a solid is characterized both by a definite shape and
definite size.
By the word substance a chemist means an essentially pure substance (Actually, all substances
are
more or less impure). When referring to very impure substances, solutions, and mixtures, the
word
material should be used instead.
All substances can be divided into two classes: elementary substances and compounds. An
elementary substance is a substance, which consists of atoms of only one elements, a compound
is a substance which consists of atoms of two or more different elements. These atoms of two or
more different elements must be present in a definite numerical ratio since substances are defined
as having a definite invariant composition.
The word mixture is used to refer to a homogeneous material (exhibiting a uniform structure),
which is not a pure substance, or to a heterogeneous aggregate of two or more substances. The
ingredients of a mixture are called its component. Sometimes a mixture consisting mainly of one
component, with much smaller amounts of others, is called an impure substance. The
components present in the smaller amounts are called impurities.