The Particulate Nature of Matter

Question 1

Solids

Answer 1

Strong forces of attraction between particles, particles are packed very closely together in a fixed and regular pattern.

Atoms vibrate in position but can’t change position or move.

Solids have a fixed volume, shape and high density.

Question 2

Liquids

Answer 2

Weaker attractive forces in liquids than in solids, particles are close together in an irregular, unfixed pattern.

Particles can move and slide past each other which is why liquids adopt the shape of the container they’re in and also why they are able to flow.

Liquids have a fixed volume but not a fixed shape and have a moderate to high density.

Question 3

Gases

Answer 3

No intermolecular forces and, since particles are in random movement, there is no defined pattern.

Particles are far apart and move quickly (around 500 m/s) in all directions, they collide with each other and with the sides of the container (this is how pressure is created inside a can of gas).

No fixed volume, since there is a lot of space between the particles, gases can be compressed into a much smaller volume. Gases have low density.

Question 4

Answer 4

Question 5

Melting

Answer 5

Melting is when a solid changes into a liquid.

Requires heat energy which transforms into kinetic energy, allowing the particles to move.

Occurs at a specific temperature known as the melting point (m.p.) which is unique to each pure solid.

Question 6

Boiling

Answer 6

Boiling is when a liquid changes into a gas.

Requires heat which causes bubbles of gas to form below the surface of a liquid, allowing for liquid particles to escape from the surface and within the liquid.

Occurs at a specific temperature known as the boiling point (b.p.) which is unique to each pure liquid.

Question 7

Freezing

Answer 7

Freezing is when a liquid changes into a solid.

This is the reverse of melting and occurs at exactly the same temperature as melting, hence the melting point and freezing point of a pure substance are the same. Water for example freezes and melts at 0ºC.

Requires a significant decrease in temperature (or loss of thermal energy) and occurs at a specific temperature which is unique for each pure substance.

Question 8

Evaporation

Answer 8

When a liquid changes into a gas. Evaporation occurs only at the surface of liquids where high energy particles can escape from the liquid’s surface at low temperatures, below the b.p. of the liquid.

The larger the surface area and the warmer the liquid/surface, the more quickly a liquid can evaporate

For most liquids evaporation occurs readily over a range of temperatures and without the need for heating as the particles at the surface absorb heat from the surroundings. The addition of heat will accelerate the process and boiling occurs if the temperature exceeds the boiling point of the liquid.

Question 9

Condensation

Answer 9

When a gas changes into a liquid, usually on cooling. When a gas is cooled its particles lose energy and when they bump into each other, they lack energy to bounce away again, instead grouping together to form a liquid.

No energy is required for condensation to occur and it takes place over a range of temperatures.

Question 10

Sublimation

Answer 10

When a solid changes directly into a gas.

This happens to only a few solids such as iodine or solid carbon dioxide.

The reverse reaction also happens and is also called sublimation (sometimes called deposition or desublimation).

Sublimation occurs at a specific temperature which is unique for a pure substance.

Question 11

Answer 11

Question 12

The presence of impurities in a pure substance can change

Answer 12

its melting point and boiling point (m.p. & b.p.).

Question 13

Different pure substances can be identified by analysis of the value of their

Answer 13

m.p. or b.p. since this is a physical property which is unique to each substance.

Question 14

Questions on the particle theory of matter show

Answer 14

interconversion of states with a reversible arrow: ⇌, which means that the process can go forwards and backwards.

Question 15

Gaseous Particles

Answer 15

Gaseous particles are in constant and random motion.

An increase in temperature increases the kinetic energy of each particle, as the thermal energy is transformed to kinetic energy, so they move faster.

Decreasing the temperature has the opposite effect.

The pressure that a gas creates inside a closed container is produced by the gaseous particles hitting the inside walls of the container. As the temperature increases, the particles in the gas move faster, impacting the container’s walls more frequently.

Therefore an increase in temperature causes an increase in pressure.

Question 16

Brownian Motion

Answer 16

Brownian motion is defined as the random movement of particles in a liquid or a gas produced by large numbers of collisions with smaller, often invisible particles.

The observation of Brownian motion proves the correctness of the kinetic particle theory.

Question 17

Diffusion

Answer 17

This is the process by which different gases or different liquids mix and is due to the random motion of their particles.

Diffusing particles move from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration.

Eventually the concentration of particles is even as they spread out to occupy all of the available space.

Diffusion happens on its own and no energy input is required although it occurs faster at higher temperatures.

Question 18

Explain changes in state in terms of the kinetic theory

Answer 18

When substances are heated, the particles absorb thermal energy which is converted into kinetic energy. This is the basis of the kinetic theory of matter.

Heating a solid causes its particles to vibrate more and as the temperature increases, they vibrate so much that the solid expands until the structure breaks and the solid melts.

On further heating, the now liquid substance expands more and some particles at the surface gain sufficient energy to overcome the intermolecular forces and evaporate.

When the b.p. temperature is reached, all the particles gain enough energy to escape and the liquids boils.

These changes in state can be shown on a graph which is called a heating curve.

Cooling down a gas has the reverse effect and this would be called a cooling curve.

These curves are used to show how changes in temperature affect changes of state.

Question 20

Answer 20

Question 21

While changing state,the temperature..as the heat energy is converted into…

This is called and corresponds to the

Answer 21

• of the substance remains the same is rapidly converted into kinetic energy.
• latent heat
• horizontal sections of a heating / cooling curve.

Question 22

Describe and explain Brownian motion in terms of …

State evidence for Brownian motion

Answer 22

An example of Brownian motion is the observed jerky and erratic motion of smoke particles as they are hit by the unseen molecules in the air which can be seen under a microscope.

In 1905, physicist Albert Einstein explained that pollen grains in water were being moved by individual water molecules.

In all cases, larger and visible particles are caused to move by the random bombardment of smaller, invisible particles.

Question 23

Describe and explain dependence of rate of diffusion on molecular mass

Answer 23

Diffusion occurs much faster in gases than in liquids as gaseous particles move much quicker than liquid particles.

At the same temperature, different gases do not diffuse at the same rate.

This is due to the difference in their relative molecular masses.

Lighter gas particles can travel faster and hence further, therefore: the lower its relative mass, the faster a gas will diffuse.