NATURAL SCIENCES

GRADE 8

TERM 2

MATTER AND MATERIALS

TOPICS

1. ATOMS

2. PARTICLE MODEL OF MATTER

3. CHEMICAL REACTIONS

4. DENSITY
 1. ATOMS

DEFINITION: An atom is the smallest particle of a chemical element that can

exist.

- All matter is made up of tiny particles called atoms.

- Atoms are the basic building blocks from which everything around us is
built.
- Atoms of one element differ from the atoms of all other elements.

SUB- ATOMIC PARTICLES

What is an atom consists of?

- Atoms are made up of different small particles small particles called sub-
atomic particles. (Protons, Neutrons and Electrons)
- The central region of the atom is called the nucleus
- The nucleus is made up of :
• positive-charged particles called protons
•neutral particles called neutrons
- The negatively – charged particles called electrons move around the
nucleus.

MODEL OF THE ATOM

 Description Neutron Proton Electron
Charge No charge, neutral Positive Negative
Location Nucleus Nucleus Space round the
nucleus

- Atoms are neutral because the number of negatively charged particles

(electrons) is equal to the number of positively charged particles (protons)

Video link on an Atom: https://youtu.be/LhveTGblGHY

ACTIVITY 1

1.1Give the following definitions

a) An Atom
b) A Proton
c) An Electron
d) A Neutron
1.2 .1Draw a labelled diagram of the boron atom?

1.2.2How many of the following particles are in the boron atom?

a) Neutrons b) Electrons c) Protons

1.3 Complete the table below:

Description Neutron
Charge L Positive
Where does it occur? Around the nucleus

Practical Activity

Make a model of an Atom

Make sure you clearly indicate the nucleus with its particles (neutrons and protons) and the
particles around the nucleus (electrons)

MATERIALS : • glue • paper plate • play dough, beads, dried lentils or peas, sweets (jelly tots)

INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Choose any one from the list of the first 20 elements from the Periodic
Table.

2. What is the atomic number of your element?

3. How many protons will you need to make for your atom?

4. Now decide what objects you will use to create the subatomic particles in your model.

5. Stick these onto the paper plate and provide labels. 6. After you have built your model, draw
a model with labels of your atom below.
Video link on making an atomic model:

https://youtu.be/-mjXi1b4PMo

1.1 PURE SUBSTANCES

- A pure substance is one which is up of only one kind of particles for
example the element Sulphur (S) that is made up of only sulphur atoms.
The compound hydrogen oxide known as water (H ¿¿ 2 O)¿ is only made
up of one kind of water molecules.
- Elements and compounds are pure substances

1.1.1 ELEMENT
DEFINITION: An element is a substance that cannot be broken down into
two or more substances by chemical means.
- An element is compiled of atoms of the same kind, such as hydrogen (H),
oxygen (O), carbon (C), sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl)
- For example, all the atoms of an element like copper are identical.
- This means that an element cannot be changed into another element by
means of a chemical reaction.

- All known elements are listed on the Periodic Table of Elements.

Each element has a specific place on the Periodic Table of Elements

The Periodic Table of Elements consist of vertical columns known as groups and horizontal rows
known as periods.

- Elements are placed in order on the basis of the number of protons in the nucleus.

- Elements are placed vertically in groups on the basis of the number of electrons (orbiting
around the nucleus) in their outermost energy level.

-Elements are placed in horizontal rows known as periods on the basis of the energy level in
which the outermost electrons are found.

Video link on the Periodic Table of Elements: https://youtu.be/72vwtrJxUTY

- Some elements on the Periodic Table of Elements form diatomic molecules.

- The following elements exist as diatomic molecules

Video link on Diatomic Molecules: https://youtu.be/PlnL8OxlVW8

1.1.2 COMPOUNDS

DEFINITION: A compound is a material that consists of atoms of two or more different

elements chemically bonded together.

- The atoms in a compound are always chemically bonded in a fixed ratio

such as water, H 2 O where the ratio is always two hydrogen atoms (H) to
one oxygen atom (O).
- Atoms are kept close to each other because they are chemically bonded.
- A chemical bond is the attractive force that holds the atoms together.
- Compounds such as water H 2 O, carbon dioxide CO 2, sodium chloride
(salt) NaCl are formed by chemical reactions
- Compounds can be broken down in a decomposition reaction (separation
by chemical means) into other compounds or their original elements by
heating or electrolysis.
- Electrolysis decomposes water (H ¿¿ 2 O)¿ to form hydrogen (H 2 ) and
oxygen O2.
 Hydrogen oxide hydrogen + oxygen

Mixtures of elements and compounds

-Elements and compounds are often mixed together for example: Air, Sea water, rocks
and living things

-Mixtures are separated by physical means

-Compounds can be separated by chemical means

Video link on Elements and Compounds: https://youtu.be/olNaHLbd8zg

ACTIVITY 2

2.1 Give one word for the following

a) The table in which the elements are arranged in a certain way.

b) The name of the horizontal rows on the Periodic Table of Elements?

c) The name of the vertical columns on the Periodic Table of Elements?

2.2 Give the definitions and an example of the following:

a) Element

b) Compound

c) Pure Substance

2.3 What keeps the atoms in a molecule together?

2.4 Name and draw the 7 diatomic molecules.

3. Complete the table below:

Atom or Molecule Element or Compound

1. CO 2
2. Mg
3. SO 2
4. Na
5 C l2

4.Name the element in group 2; period 3.

Practical Activity

A. Make use of different colours of playdough, sweets, beads or lentils, toothpicks,

Prestik if necessary. The sweets, beads, playdough or lentils indicate the atoms
and the toothpicks indicate the bonds between the atoms. Build, draw and label
the following molecules: Nitrogen ( N 2 ¿ , Methane ¿), Hydrogen ( H 2), Water ( H 2O),
Carbon dioxide (CO 2), Ammonia ( NH 3)

B. Indicate if the above - mentioned molecules are an element or a compound.

2. PARTICLE MODEL OF MATTER

- Matter is made out of very small particles.

Particles can be atoms that are chemically bonded by means of attractive
forces between the particles.
- The motion of the particles is according to the amount of energy present
between the particles.

2.1 STATES OF MATTER

Scientists have evidence that suggest that the particles are arranged differently in a
solid, liquid and a gas.
 • SOLID
- Fixed volume and shape
- Particles are closely packed in a regular arrangement
- Very small spaces between the particles
- Very strong intermolecular forces between the particles
- Particles vibrates constantly
- Low amount of kinetic energy

• LIQUID
- Shape can change it flows and can take the form of the container
- Fixed specific volume
- Particles are loosely arranged, but still closely together
- Less strong forces between the particles
- Particles move quite fast and slide past each other
- High amount of kinetic energy

• GAS
- No fixed volume or shape
- No particular arrangement
- Particles can move very fast and freely and can collide with each other
- Very weak or no forces between the particles
- Very high kinetic energy

ACTIVITY 3

Complete the table below:

2.2 DIFFUSION
A process whereby particles in liquids and gases move, separate and spread from a
high- concentrated area to a low-concentrated area.
When you spray deodorant in a corner of a room it will spread and after a while you can
smell it in the rest of the room. This is an example of diffusion.
Video link for Diffusion: https://youtu.be/fN7b1aBunoM

ACTIVITY 4

4.1 Spray a bit of deodorant in one corner of a room. After a while you will smell it in the rest of
the room. Explain why this happens.

Practical Activity

Place a few drops of food colouring or Oros in a glass of water and observe the movement of
the food colouring in the water.

a) What do you observe after some time?

b) What does that tell you about the movement of the particles of a liquid?
c) What happens when warm water is used instead of cold water?
d) How does the rate of diffusion in gases compare to that in liquids?

2.3 PHYSICAL CHANGES

Heating and Cooling

-When heat is added to the particles of a solid. The kinetic energy of the particles
increase until it reaches melting point.

-The forces between the particles weaken and the particles move further apart.

- If more energy (heat) is added the solid melts and becomes a liquid.

-If the liquid receives more energy (heat) the forces between the particles will break, so
that so that it can move more further apart. The liquid will reach the boiling point.

-It will change to the gaseous state.

-Water vapour (steam) is in the gaseous state. When energy is removed (cooled)
condensation will take place and the water vapour will form a liquid at room
temperature.

-If energy is removed and it cools down to 0℃ it will freeze (solidify).

- It will become a colourless solid called ice.

-For the solid (ice) to change to a liquid again it must be heated. The process is called
melting

-When energy (heat) is added to the liquid (water) and it reaches 100℃ , steam (water
vapour) will form and will escape into the atmosphere as a colourless gas.

Sublimation
 • Transition of a substance directly from the solid to the gas phase (vapour
phase) without passing through the intermediate liquid phase
• Examples: “Dry Ice” or solid carbon dioxide sublimes
• Snow and ice can sublime in the winter months without melting

Video link on Sublimation: https://youtu.be/YH2Lfc1KLQE

•ENDOTHERMIC PROCESSES (Heat Added)

-Changing from a SOLID to GAS or LIQUID to a GAS
-Melting or Boiling process
-Input of energy

•EXOTHERMIC PROCESSES (Cooling)

-Changing from GAS to LIQUID or LIQUID to SOLID
-Freezing and Condensation process
-Removal of energy

Expansion and Contraction of materials

-Solids, liquids and gases tend to expand when heated and contract when cooled.
-Particles of liquids and gases are in a state of constant motion.
-As a material is heated the movement of the particles increases and they move further
apart, therefore the material expands
-As a material is cooled the movement of the particles decreases and they move closer
together, therefore the materials contracts.
-When a material expands or contracts the size and number of particles does not
change. It is only the spaces between the particles that get bigger or smaller.
-during the expansion, the spaces between the particles get bigger
-during contraction, the spaces between the particles get smaller

ACTIVITY 5
5.1 Name 3 properties of solids
5.2 Name 3 properties of liquids.
5.3 Name 3 properties of gases.

5.4 What is meant by the following:

a) Condensation
b) Evaporation
c) Sublimation
d) Boiling point
e) Melting point

5.4 Complete the following diagram by writing the correct physical process/changes on the
arrows:

GAS

LIQUID SOLID

a) Liquid to Gas
b) Gas to Solid
c) Solid to Liquid
d) Liquid to Solid
e) Solid to Gas
f) Gas to Liquid

5.5 Consider the different state of water.

 A B C

5.5.1 Write down only the letter (A,B or C) of the state.

a) Where the kinetic energy is the greatest?

b) Where particles only vibrate in a fixed position?

c) Which can be easily compressed?

d) Where the forces between the particles are the strongest?

e) Where diffusion will occur the fastest?

Practical Activity
Candle wax can be use but it is safer to use ice cubes for the practical activity

Use some ice cubes and heat it on slow heat in a pot

Observe how the properties change as it melts.

a) What happens to the forces between the ice particles when it melts?
b) What happens to the spaces between the ice particles when it melts?
c) What happens to the movement of the ice particles when it melts?
d) What happens to the forces between the water particles when it boils?
e) When happens to the spaces between the water particles when it boils?
f) What happens to the movement of the water particles when it boils?

a) What changes happens between A-B?

b) What changes happens between C-D?
c) What changes happens between E-F?
d) Name the vertical and horizontal axes respectively.
e) Identify the independent variable.
f) Identify the dependant variable.
g) Are each of these state changes a chemical or a physical change? Give a reason
for your answer.

3.CHEMICAL REACTIONS
A chemical reaction is a process which one set of chemical materials (reactants)
change into a new set of chemical materials (products)

-Re-arrangement of the atoms takes place to form different products.

-Substances can react with each other to form products with different chemical
properties.

-The substances in a chemical reaction that react with one another are called the
reactants.

-The substances in a chemical reaction that are produced are called the products.

-During a chemical reaction, chemical bonds (a force that holds atoms together) of the
reactants break and new chemical bonds form to produce the products.

- A useful example is the fermentation process in brewing which produces carbon

dioxide and ethanol

-Egg shells (calcium carbonate) placed into vinegar (acetic acid) produces carbon
dioxide and a solution (calcium acetate).

Word Equation

Carbon + Oxygen Carbon dioxide

Hydrogen oxide (water) Hydrogen + Oxygen

Model Equation

Carbon Oxygen Carbon dioxide

 +

Hydrogen oxide (water) Hydrogen gas +

Oxygen gas

Video link for Chemical Reactions: https://youtu.be/TX6BYceUSL0

Practical Activity
Aim: To investigate reactions of vinegar on an egg shell (calcium carbonate)

Apparatus:

Egg

250ml White vinegar

Small bowl

Method

1. Place the egg in the bowl

2. Pour the 250ml of white vinegar over the egg, covering it
3. Allow it to stand for a day
4. Remove the egg from the vinegar and make your observations.
5. Allow it to stand in an empty bowl for another day.
6. Make your observations

Word equation:

calcium carbonate (eggshell) + acetic acid (vinegar) → calcium acetate + carbon

dioxide

Questions

a) Name the gas that forms small bubbles on the eggshell.

b) Give the names of the products formed.
c) How many reactants are present in the chemical reaction?

ACTIVITY 6
6.1 The following chemical reactions occur:

1. Iron + oxygen → Iron oxide

2 Zinc + sulfur → Zinc sulphide
3 Water (Hydrogen oxide) → Hydrogen + Oxygen

6.1.1 Identify the reactant(s) in the above chemical reactions?

6.1.2 Identify the product(s) in the above chemical reactions?

6.2 The diatomic molecules hydrogen ( H 2) reacts with bromine ( Br 2) to form hydrogen
bromide (HBr). The word equation is:

Hydrogen + bromine → hydrogen bromide

6.2.1 Make use of diagrams to represent the chemical reaction.

6.2.2 What are the reactants in the chemical reaction?

6.2.3 What are the product(s) in the chemical reaction?

6.2.4 What does the arrow in the equation indicate?

6.2.5 How many hydrogen particles are in front of the arrow in the equation?

6.2.6 How many hydrogen particles are after the arrow in the equation?

6.2.7 How many bromine particles are in front of the arrow in the equation?

6.2.8 How many bromine particles are after the arrow in the equation?

6.2.9 Name the element(s) in the chemical reaction.

6.2.10 Name the compound(s) in the chemical reaction?

4. DENSITY
The density of a material describes the amount of mass in a given volume of that
material.

-All matter has mass. The mass gives an indication of the amount of matter the material
consist of. Mass is measured in grams (g) or kilograms (kg)

- All matter has volume. Volume is an indication of the amount of space that matter can
occupy. Volume is measure in millilitres (ml) and litres (l).

-Some materials have low density and some have high density.

- For example a loaf of bread has lower density then a clay brick of the same size.

-The individual particles making up one material may have different masses compared
to the individual particles making up another material.

-There can also be more spaces between the particles.

Video link on Density: https://youtu.be/nVrsgESZh-Y

Practical Activity : A

Aim: To compare the densities of different materials (air, water, sand and flour)

Apparatus:

Four polystyrene/paper /plastic cups of the same size

Water

Sand

Flour

Method:

1. Fill each of the cups with water, sand and flour

2. One cup is not filled with anything. It contains air.
3. Compare the masses of the cups by picking up each of them.

Observations:

1. Write down the contents of the cups in order of increasing masses.

2. What did you observe about the volume of the cups?
3. What conclusion can you determine from your observation?

Practical Activity: B
 Aim: To compare the densities of oil and water to each other by testing whether the oil
will float on the water

Apparatus:
Glass
Water
Oil

Method:
1. Pour a little oil in a glass
2. Fill the glass thereafter with water

a) What do you observe?

b) What conclusion can you determine from your observation?

REFERENCES
1. GDE Natural Sciences Grade 8 Lesson Plans
2. CAPS Policy Natural Sciences Gr7-9
3. Siyavula Natural Sciences Workbooks Gr8 Book A
4. Video link on an Atom: https://youtu.be/LhveTGblGHY
5. Video link on Elements and Compounds: https://youtu.be/olNaHLbd8zg
6. Video link for Diffusion: https://youtu.be/fN7b1aBunoM
7. Video link on Sublimation: https://youtu.be/YH2Lfc1KLQE
8. Video link for Chemical Reactions: https://youtu.be/TX6BYceUSL0
9. Video link on Density: https://youtu.be/nVrsgESZh-Y