Matter Flashcards
Essential vocabulary for understanding 5th grade science.
classify
to sort or put in categories
Matter can be classified by its physical properties.
conductor
any material that allows energy to pass through it.
All metals are conductors of thermal and electrical energy. Glass is a conductor of thermal energy only.
density
the measure of how tightly packed molecules in matter are.
Matter with a great density will not float.
electric energy
The energy created by moving electrons.
Electric energy is used to power many of our tools.
gas
a state of matter that has no volume and no shape.
The air we breathe is made of many gases.
insulator
Any matter that will not allow energy to pass through it.
Plastic, Styrofoam and rubber are the most common insulators of electrical and thermal energy.
liquid
Matter that has a specific volume but no specific shape.
Water, gasoline, juice, and bleach are all examples of liquids.
magnetism
The pulling force of a magnet.
Only two metals are magnetic - iron and steel.
mass
The amount of matter in a substance. It can be measured on a balance.
The mass of a paperclip is about 1 gram.
Physical properties
The different ways matter can be described.
Magnetism, conductivity, density, physical state, solubility, texture, color, size and shape are some common physical properties used to classify matter.
physical state
one of three forms matter can take - solid, liquid, and gas.
Water easily changes its physical state by heating and cooling it.
solid
the physical state of matter that has a specific volume and shape.
Salt is a solid. The individual grains have a small volume and are shaped like cubes.
solubility / soluble
the ability to be dissolved.
Salt and sugar are very soluble solids. They easily dissolve in water.
thermal energy
heat
By adding thermal energy, we can change ice into water
dissolve
to spread out evenly in another substance and no longer be seen.
Sugar dissolves easily in water. You can no longer see it, but it is evenly flavored throughout all of the water.
boiling point
The temperature at which a liquid becomes a gas.
The boiling point for water is 100* C.
freezing point
The temperature at which a liquid becomes a solid.
The freezing point of water is 0* C.
Melting point
The temperature at which a solid BEGINS to melt.
The melting point for water is the same as its freezing point; 0*C.
temperature
the measure of thermal energy in a substance.
mixture
any combination of two or more substances
Cereal and milk is a mixture that many people love to eat. Pens and pencils are a mixture that many people have on their desks.
sieve / filter
a strainer or device used to separate matter by the size of the particles.
An air filter separates dirt and air. A sieve separates sand and water. A coffee filter separates solid coffee grounds from the liquid coffee.
evaporation
The process where thermal energy is added to a liquid and the particles spread out and become vapor.
When water reaches its boiling point, it evaporates and becomes water vapor.
condensation / condensing
The process where a gas loses thermal energy and becomes a liquid.
Condensation happens when a cloud is formed and also when warm air touches a cool drink.
freezing
The process when a liquid loses thermal energy and becomes a solid.
Water that loses thermal energy and reaches 0*C will freeze and become a solid we call ice.
melting
the process where a solid gains thermal energy and becomes a liquid.
Ice that reaches 0* C will begin to melt and become water. If it reaches temperatures higher than 0* C, it will melt faster.
solution
a special mixture in which one or more ingredients are dissolved in another.
Lemonade, ocean water and sweet tea are all examples of solutions. The air we breathe is also a solution.
