States of Matter Flashcards
What is matter?
Anything which has mass and occupies or takes up space (has volume).
What are the 3 states of matter?
- Solid e.g.: rock, wood, ice and metal
- Liquid e.g.: blood, water, oil (cooking), gasoline, paint
- Gas e.g.: nitrogen, oxygen, helium and carbon dioxide
What are the characteristics of a solid?
firm/hard; has a fixed/definite shape (fixed mass) and volume.
What are the characteristics of a liquid?
has a fixed volume but no definite shape (it takes the shape of the container it occupies; can flow or be poured).
What are the characteristics of a gas?
has no fixed shape or volume (takes up the space of the container it is in; can flow or be poured).
Describe the particles of a solid.
Have particles that are closely packed together and are strongly attracted to each other. They cannot move around but vibrate in that position. This explains why they have a definite shape and volume and can break, shatter or crack when struck.
(review picture in notes)
Describe the particles of a liquid.
Particles in a liquid are moderately spaced with weak attractive forces that allow these particles to move around each other but not away from each other. They are also vibrating. This is why liquids have no shape and can flow or be poured.
(review picture in notes)
Describe the particles of a gas.
Gases contain particles which are widely spaced with very weak attractive forces which are in constant motion. The mostly have contact with each other when they collide with each other. The nature of a gas is to spread out; they have no fixed shape or volume.
(review picture in notes)
What are the 8 changes of states?
- Melting
- Evaporation
- Boiling
- Condensation
- Freezing
- Solidification
- Sublimation
- Desublimation
What is melting?
the change from a solid to a liquid. E.g. A bar of chocolate being left out in the sun will melt
What is evaporation?
liquid changing into a gas at temperatures below the boiling point of the particular substance. E.g. Clothes on a line drying; the volume of alcohol in a bottle decreasing.
What is boiling?
liquid changing to gas at the boiling point of the substance. E.g. Water in a kettle at 100 ̊C producing steam.
What is condensation?
the change of a gas/vapor to liquid. E.g. Water forming on the hot saucepan cover when it is removed to check the progress of the meal.
What is freezing?
the change from liquid to solid at a particular temperature E.g. Coconut water in the freezer becoming solid.
What is solidification?
a liquid turning into a solid at room temperature other than at the freezing point of the substance. E.g. Oil from baked meat (lamb) left out in the cool will become firm.
