Revision Notes on Matter in Our Surroundings

What is Matter?
Air, water, stones, sand, clouds, pencils, books – Everything is made up of matter. Matter
is everything in this universe that occupies space and has mass.

Constituents of Matter
According to the early Indian philosophers, every living and non-living thing is made of
five basic elements called the Panchtatava – Air, Water, Earth, Sky, and Fire.
Therefore, matter is a composition of these five constituents.
Physical Nature of Matter
Is matter continuous or particulate?

Matter is particulate in nature. This means that matter consists of particles as you can
see in the microscopic image of a cube above.

For Example, If we put a drop of red color in water the color of the water turns red. This
happens because the particles of red color mix with the particles of water.
What is the size of these particles?

• The size of the particles of matter is very small.

• They can be broken into further particles as well. For Example, On dilution of a
colorful solution, as shown in the figure below, we can still see the color. This
means there are millions of particles present in the color which just divide
themselves on dilution.
 • Which of these is matter – happiness, air, sandwich, thoughts,
juice, and eraser? Air, sandwich, juice, and eraser as they have
mass, they occupy space and can be broken into further particles.
Characteristics of Particles of Matter
Particles of matter have three characteristics:

1. Particles of matter have spaces between them

2. Particles of matter are moving all the time

3. Particles of matter attract each other

Particles of Matter have spaces between them

Have you ever wondered what causes salt to get dissolved in water?
Salt gets dissolved in water because their particles have spaces between them. The
particles of the salt get in between the spaces between the particles of water and a
mixture is formed.

• We cannot see these particles through naked eyes.

Particles of Matter are continuously moving

Particles are continuously moving

• Particles of matter are in motion all the time. Hence, they possess kinetic energy.

• Kinetic Energy – Energy due to motion

 • The particles of a matter intermix on their own with other particles of a matter. For
Example, Salt in water, Various gases in the air, Ink in water.
• Diffusion – The process of mixing two different types of particles together is
called diffusion. Diffusion becomes faster on heating.

• The kinetic energy of particles also increas es on heating.

Particles of Matter attract each other

• The particles of matter are always held together because of a force of attraction
between them.

• The amount of this force between the particles varies in different forms of matter,
as shown in the figure below:

• Solids have the highest force of attraction. That is why we cannot move our hands
through a solid object. The particles are so tightly bound.

• Similarly, particles of gases have the least force of attraction in them. We can
move our hands easily in the air, can’t we? This is because the particles of air
are loosely bound.

• We can arrange the force of attraction between different types of matter (solids,
liquids, and gases) in increasing order as:

• We can also move our hands through water or liqui d matter but not as freely as
we can in the air. This means that they are also loosely bound to some extent.

Gas < Liquid < Solids

States of Matter
Now we know that particles of matter have a force of attraction between them. Based on
this criterion, we can say that matter is present in three different states: solid state, liquid
state, and gaseous state.
The Solid State
• Solids are the objects that have these three properties:

o They have a specific shape.

o They have distinct boundaries.

o They have a volume.

• There is less kinetic energy among the particles in solids. They are generally
arranged in an order. Thus they possess a fixed shape. They cannot be
compressed.

• The force of attraction is the maximum among the particles of s olids. There is not
much space between the particles. Therefore, they cannot be compressed.

• Which of these are solids: Rubber band, Sponge, Salt?

o All of them are solids. All of these follow the properties of solids. A rubber
band and sponge change their shape only when we apply force on to
them. It might appear to you as if salt is taking the shape of the
container in which you put it but actually each of its grain has its own
definite shape.

The Liquid State

• Liquids have the following properties:

o Liquids have a fixed volume

o Liquids do not have a fixed shape.

• The force of attraction in liquid particles is less than solids. Therefore, there is a
space between the particles of liquids and they can flow easily. They cannot be
compressed. That is why they are also called fluids.

• Particles of liquids arrange each other is not fixed. You might have seen that
liquids take the shape of the container in which we put them. This is because the
particles of liquids have a high kinetic energy, they always keep on moving.

• Can other matter diffuse into liquids?

 o Yes, other matter can diffuse into liquids whether it is solids, liquids, or
gases. This is so because there is a space between the particles of
liquid so particles of other matter can slip into those spaces.

o Diffusing solids into liquids: Mixing sugar in tea

o Diffusing liquids into liquids: Mixing ink in water
o Diffusing gases into liquids: The presence of oxygen and carbon dioxide
in water
The Gaseous State
• Gases have the following properties:

o They do not have a fixed volume.

o They do not have a fixed shape.

• The particles of gases have the least or almost no force of attraction between
them. Therefore, the particles have a large number of spaces between them and
they can freely move in any direction.

• Also, they can be easily compressed and put into a small container, unlike solids
and liquids.

• Since there is a lot of space between the particles, different gases can diffuse
into each other easily.

• The kinetic energy between the particles is the maximum in the case of gases.
Therefore, the particles move around freely at high speed and there is no fixed
shape of gases.

Difference in the characteristic of states of matter

Solid Liquid Gas

Indefinite Indefinite
Definite shape
shape shape

Definite Indefinite
Definite volume
volume volume

Less forces of
Negligible
attraction
Maximum force of force of
between
attraction attraction
particles
between particles between
compare to
particles
solid

Cannot be Cannot be Can be

compressed compressed compressed

Kinetic energy of Kinetic energy Kinetic energy

particles is of particles is of particles is
minimum more than solid maximum
 Particles cannnot
move rather they Particles can
Particles can
vibrate only at slide over one
move freely
their another
fixed position

Density is lower Lowest

Highest density
than solid denisty

Cannot flow Flow Flow

Can Matter Change its State?

Water exists in three states:

• Ice – solid

• Water – liquid

• Water Vapor – Gas

This is an indication that matter can change its states.

Effect of Change of Temperature

What happens to matter when we heat it?
1. Solids:
• As we heat solids, the kinetic energy between the particles of solids increases
which decreases the force of attraction between them.

• They start vibrating and changing their positions. Slowly, due to heat the particles
become free and a solid converts into liquid.

• Melting Point – The temperature at which solid melts to become a liquid at

atmospheric pressure. For Example, the melting point of ice is 273.16 Kelvin.
• Fusion – The process of melting of a solid into liquid is called Fusion.

• In the melting process, once a solid reaches its melting point, its temperature
does not increase further. So where does all the heat go? The heat present in
the solid at time of melting is used by the particles to diminish the force of
 attraction between each other. The heat energy is therefore considered as
hidden.

• Latent Heat – The heat energy which is used to break the force of attraction
between the particles of matter is known as latent heat. Since the heat is hidden
therefore it is called as Latent Heat.
• Latent Heat of Fusion – The amount of heat energy required to change 1 kg of
a solid into liquid at atmospheric pressure at its melting point is known as
the Latent Heat of Fusion.
• Atmospheric Pressure – Pressure exerted by the weight of the atmosphere.
2. Liquids:
• Just like in solids, the kinetic energy of particles of liquid increases, the force of
attraction among them decreases and they start moving freely.

• As we keep on supplying the heat, a point comes when the particles overcome
the forces of attraction completely.

• This is when a liquid starts changing into gas.

• Boiling Point - The temperature at which a liquid starts boiling at the atmospheric
pressure is known as its Boiling Point. For Example, The boiling point of water
is 373 Kelvin.
• Latent Heat of Vaporization – the amount of heat energy required to change 1
kg of a liquid into a gas at atmospheric pressure at its boiling point is known
as Latent Heat of Vaporization.
What happens when we decrease the temperature?
1. Gases:
• The kinetic energy between the particles decreases and they turn into a liquid
state.
 • Condensation / Liquefaction – The process of converting a gas into a liquid by
cooling down its temperature. For Example, The formation of clouds is due to
condensation of water vapor from Earth.
2. Liquids:
• The kinetic energy between the particles decreases and they turn into a solid
state. For Example, The formation of ice.
• Sublimation – change of state of a gas directly into solid and vice -versa is known
as sublimation. For Example, Camphor is a solid that directly evaporates into
the air without changing to a liquid state.
Therefore, by increasing or decreasing the temperat ure we can change the states of
matter into one another. Here is a diagram that sums this up.

Effect of change of Pressure

• By applying pressure, we can bring the particles of matter close to each other
thereby, increasing the force of attraction among the particles.

• When we compress and decrease the temperature of a gas, the gas changes into
a liquid.

• Dry Ice – Carbon dioxide in solid form is known as Dry Ice. It can directly turn
into gas by decreasing the pressure to 1 atmosphere.
Evaporation

• We already know that –

o Particles of matter are never at rest

o Particles of matter possess different amounts of kinetic energy

• The particles of liquids have more kinetic energy. Therefore, they are able to
overcome the forces of attraction and convert into vapor without any external
forces.

• Evaporation – The phenomenon of change of a liquid into vapors at any given

temperature below its boiling point is called Evaporation. Evaporation is
different than boiling, as shown in the figure below.
Factors Affecting Evaporation
Rate of
Condition Reason
Evaporation

Particles have
Increase in more space and
Increases
Surface Area thus can
evaporate easily

Kinetic energy
Increase in among the
Increases
temperature particles
increases

Water content
in air increases
Increase in
Decreases and so
humidity
evaporation
decreases

Water vapours
are blown away
Increase in
Increases by winds
wind speed
allowing more
evaporation

How evaporation causes cooling?

The process of evaporation uses the energy of the liquid particles. Therefore, the
particles absorb energy from the surroundings in order to compensate the energy that is
being lost in the process of evaporation. This results in cooling of the surrounding area.

• For Example:

o Our palms feel cool when we put some acetone (nail paint remover) on
it

o People sprinkle water on their roofs or ground on sunny days to cool the
area
 o We are able to sip hot tea faster in a saucer than in a cup

Why people wear cotton clothes in summer?

We perspire more in summer. As the sweat evaporates it takes energy from our body
surface and keeps our body cool. Cotton can absorb the sweat easily and exp oses it to
the atmosphere causing evaporation to take place easily. This, in turn, keeps us cool in
summer days.

Why water droplets appear on the surroundings of a glass with ice-cold water?
There are water vapours present in the air. When they come in contact with the walls of
the glass that has ice-cold water in it they condense. As a result, their state changes from
gaseous state to liquid state thus forming tiny water droplets on the walls of the glass.

The Five States of Matter

• By far we have discussed the three states of matter – Solid, Liquid, Gas.

• But, scientists have discovered that there are two more states of matter –

o Plasma

o Bose-Einstein Condensate

Plasma
• It is a state of matter in which the particles are super excited and super energetic.
They are in the form of ionized gases.

• For Example – Fluorescent tubes and neon light bulbs consist of plasma

• The neon bulbs contain neon gas and there is another gas such as helium in the
fluorescent tube. As electricity is passed in the tube or the bulb, these gases get
ionized and this creates the plasma inside them that glows.
 • In fact, the Sun and the stars glow because they plasma is present in them. Here
are some examples of Plasma:

Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC)

• It is the fifth state of matter discovered by Albert Einstein on the basis of the
studies conducted by an Indian scientist Satyendra Nath Bose.
• BEC is formed by condensing gases of extremely low densities to much lower
temperatures.

Important Measurement Units

SI Unit of Mass Kg (Kilogram)

SI unit of Volume m 3 (cubic meters)

Common unit of
L (Liters)
Volume

Kelvin
SI unit of 0O C = 273.16 K or
temperature 273 K (approximately)
Kelvin = Celsius + 273

Si unit of
Pa (Pascal)
Pressure

Atmosphere (atm)
For measuring 1 atm = 1.01 X 105 Pa
pressure exerted Normal Atmospheric
by Gas Pressure = 1 atm (at
sea level)