The matter is everything that we come across in our lives, like the air we breathe, the clothes we wear, cool drinks - literally everything!
In fact, did you know that you are made of matter too?
In this lesson, we will cover the following:
Let's get started!
The definition of matter is anything that has mass and volume (takes up space). For most common objects that we deal with every day, it is fairly simple to demonstrate that they have mass and take up space.
What is mass? Mass is the amount of matter in an object. You might have a small object with a lot of mass such as a statue made of lead (Pb). You might have a large object with very little mass such as a balloon filled with helium (He). You should also know there is a difference between mass and weight. Mass is a measure of the matter in an object while weight is a measure of gravity's pull on an object.
What is volume? Volume is the amount of space something occupies. Words such as big, little, long, or short are used to describe volumes. A marble takes up a small volume while a star occupies a large volume. Different states of matter will fill volumes in different ways.
Even though the universe consists of "things" as wildly different as ants and galaxies, the matter that makes up all of these "things" is composed of a very limited number of building blocks. These building blocks are known as atoms. The most important method that nature uses to organize atoms into matter is the formation of molecules. Molecules are groups of two or more atoms that have been bonded together. There are millions of different ways to bond atoms together, which means that there are millions of different possible molecules. Each of these molecules has its own set of chemical properties.
Matter exists in one of three states - solid, liquid, or gas.
Take, for example, water. Water can take many forms. At low temperatures (below 0oC), it is solid. When at "normal" temperature (between 0oC and 100oC, it is a liquid. While at temperatures above 100oC, water is a gas (steam). The state the water is in depends upon the temperature. Each state (solid, liquid, and gas) has its own unique set of physical properties.
The state of a given substance exhibits is also a physical property. Some substances exist as gases (e.g. oxygen and carbon dioxide) at room temperature, while others like water and mercury, exist as liquids. Most metals exist as solids at room temperature. All substances can exist in any of these three states.
Another fourth state of matter called plasma exists, but it does not naturally occur on earth.
Matter can be classified into two broad categories - pure substances and mixtures.
A pure substance is a form of matter that has a constant composition (meaning it's the same everywhere) and properties that are constant throughout the sample (meaning there is only one set of properties such as melting point, color, boiling point, etc throughout the matter). A material composed of two or more substances is a mixture. Elements and compounds are both examples of pure substances. A substance that cannot be broken down into chemically simpler compounds is an element. Aluminum, which is used in soda cans, is an element. A substance that can be broken down into chemically simpler compounds (because it has more than one element) is a compound.
All matter has physical and chemical properties. Physical properties are characteristics that can be measured without changing the composition of the matter. Mass, color, and volume are examples of physical properties. Chemical properties describe the characteristics and ability of a substance to react to form new substances; they include flammability and susceptibility to corrosion.
Chemists learn a lot about the nature of matter by studying the changes that matter can undergo. Chemists make a distinction between two different types of changes that they study - physical changes and chemical changes.
Physical changes are changes in which no bonds are broken or formed. This means that the compound or element remains the same at the beginning and at the end of the change. Therefore, its properties such as color, boiling point, etc. will also be the same. Physical changes involve moving molecules around, but not changing them. Some types of physical changes include:
Chemical changes occur when bonds are broken and/or formed between molecules or atoms. This means that one substance with a certain set of properties (such as melting point, color, taste, etc.) is turned into a different substance with different properties. Chemical changes are frequently harder to reverse than physical changes. One good example of a chemical change is burning a candle. The act of burning paper actually results in the formation of new chemicals (carbon dioxide and water) from the burning of the wax.
