chapter

53 Matter—Properties and Changes

section ●
1 Physical Properties

Before You Read What You’ll Learn

■ the common physical
Choose an object you can see. Describe it on the lines properties of matter
below. What is its color, shape, and size? ■ how to find the density
of a substance
■ how acids and bases are
alike and different

Read to Learn
Identify Main Ideas As
Physical Properties you read this section, highlight
each sentence that describes a
Suppose you saw a dinosaur skeleton in a museum. How physical property.
would you describe it to a friend? You could talk about its
color, shape, size, and if it was rough or smooth. These are
physical properties, or characteristics, of the skeleton. You can
use your senses to describe physical properties. A physical
property is something you can observe about matter without
changing what the matter is. All matter has physical properties.
What are some physical properties?
You probably know about some physical properties like color,
shape, smell, and taste. There are other physical properties like
mass, volume, and density. Mass is the amount of matter in
an object. m is the symbol for mass. A bowling ball has
more mass than a balloon. Volume is the amount of space an
object occupies. V is the symbol for volume. A swimming ●
A Build Vocabulary Make
a Foldable to help you learn the
pool holds a larger volume of water than a paper cup does. vocabulary terms in this chapter.
Density is the amount of mass in a certain volume. D is the
symbol for density. A bowling ball is more dense than a ical
Physerty
Prop
balloon. To find the density of an object, divide its mass by ity
Dens
its volume. Use the formula below to calculate density. f
State or
Matte
Density ⫽ mass/volume Size-
nt
Depende y
Propert
m
D⫽ Size- t
Independ
en
V Propert
y

Reading Essentials 71
 How does mass affect density?
A bowling ball and a balloon have about the same
volume. To decide which one has the higher density, you
compare their masses. Because they are about the same
volume, the one with more mass has the higher density. The
bowling ball has a higher density. Suppose you want to
1. Evaluate Which has the
higher density, a golf ball or
compare two bowling balls. They are the same size, shape,
a table-tennis ball? color, and volume. But, one bowling ball has more mass
than the other. Although the volumes are the same, the
densities of the bowling balls are different because their
masses are different.
How can density be used?
Density is a physical property of an object. It can be used
to identify an unknown substance or element. For example,
the density of silver is 10.5 g/cm3 at 20°C. Recall that
density is a unit of mass divided by a unit of volume. Also,
scientists usually report the density of matter at a certain
temperature.
Suppose you wanted to know if a ring is made of pure
silver. You can find the density of the ring by dividing its
mass by its volume. If the ring’s density is any value other
than 10.5 g/cm3, the ring is not pure silver.
What are the states of matter?
State of matter is another physical property. The state of
matter tells you whether matter is a solid, a liquid, or a gas.
The state of matter depends on the temperature and
pressure of the matter.
2. Classify Which is not a Water can be a solid, a liquid, or a gas. Ice is water in the
state of matter? (Circle your solid state. The water you drink is in the liquid state. You
answer.) cannot see water as a gas. It is vapor in the air. A water
a. gas
molecule is always the same, whether the water is a solid, a
b. liquid
c. water liquid, or a gas. A water molecule always has two hydrogen
d. solid atoms and one oxygen atom no matter what state water is in.
What are some other physical properties
of matter?
A size-dependent property is a physical property that
changes when the size of an object changes. One wooden
block has a volume of 30 cm3 and a mass of 20 g. Another
wooden block has a volume of 60 cm3 and a mass of 40 g.
The volume and mass of the block change when the size
changes. Volume and mass are size-dependent properties.

72 Matter—Properties and Changes

What is a size-independent property?
If you calculate the density of both wooden blocks, you’ll
find each one has a density of 0.67 g/cm3. The density did
not change with the size of the block. Density is an example
of a size-independent property. A size-independent
property is a physical property that does not change when
an object changes size. The table below shows examples of
other size-dependent and size-independent properties.

Physical Properties Picture This

3. Use Tables Name a size-
independent property
Type of Property Property other than density.
Size-dependent length, width, height, volume, mass
properties

Size-independent density, color, state

properties

Physical Properties of Acids and Bases

One way to describe matter is to classify it as either an acid 4. Classify A substance has
or a base. Acids and bases can be strong or weak. The strength a pH of 3. Is this substance
of an acid or base can be determined by finding its pH. an acid or a base?

What is the pH scale?

The pH scale is used to measure the strength of an acid
or a base. The pH scale has a range of 0 to 14. The pH of
acids ranges from 0 to just below 7. The pH of bases ranges
from just above 7 to 14. Matter with a pH of exactly 7 is
neutral. It is neither an acid nor a base. Pure water is a
neutral substance. Its pH is exactly 7.
What are acids? ●
B Classify Make the
following Foldable to help
What do you think of when you hear the word acid? Do classify materials as acids or
you think of a dangerous chemical that can burn your skin, bases.
make holes in your clothes, and even destroy metal? Some
acids, such as concentrated hydrochloric acid, can harm you.
Other acids are not harmful. Acid

Some acids can be eaten. When you drink a soft drink,

you drink carbonic and phosphoric (fahs FOR ihk) acids.
Base
When you eat a citrus fruit, such as an orange or a
grapefruit, you eat citric and ascorbic (uh SOR bihk) acids.

Reading Essentials 73
 What are some physical properties of acids?
Most acids have a distinctive taste and smell. Imagine
cutting into a lemon. You will notice a sharp smell. The
smell of a lemon comes from the citric acid in the fruit. If
you take a bite of a lemon, you would immediately notice a
very sour taste. Most citrus fruits taste sour because they
contain citric acid. The figure below shows examples of
some citrus fruits.
If you bit into a citrus fruit, then rubbed your teeth back
and forth, they would squeak. This is a physical property of
acids. The sharp smell and the sour taste also are physical
properties of acids.

Picture This
5. Identify Which citrus
fruit in the figure do you
think tastes the most sour?

Acids and Aging Vitamin C and alpha-hydroxy acids are

also found in fruit. These acids are sometimes used in skin
creams. It is believed these acids slow down the aging process.
What are some physical properties of bases?
Bases are different substances than acids. The physical
properties of bases are different from the physical properties
of acids. You may have a common base in your house—
ammonia (uh MOH nyuh). Ammonia is sometimes used for
household cleaning. If you got a cleaner that contained
ammonia on your fingers and rubbed them together, your
fingers would feel slippery.
6. Determine Circle a Another common base is soap. When you rub wet soap
physical property of bases. on your hands, they also feel slippery. This slippery feeling
a. slippery feel
b. sour taste
is a physical property of bases. You shouldn’t taste soap, but
c. sharp smell if you did, you’d notice a bitter taste. A bitter taste is
d. makes teeth squeak another physical property of bases.
Remember that you should never taste, touch, or smell
anything in lab unless your teacher tells you to.

74 Matter—Properties and Changes

 After You Read
Mini Glossary
density: the amount of mass in a given volume size-independent property: a physical property that does
physical property: any characteristic of matter that can be not change when an object changes size
observed without changing what the matter is state of matter: a physical property that describes whether
size-dependent property: a physical property that a sample of matter is a solid, a liquid, or a gas
changes when the size of an object changes

1. Review the terms and their definitions in the Mini Glossary. Write a sentence using one
of the terms to describe a property of an object.

2. Use the outline below to help you review what you have read. Fill in the blanks where
information is missing.
Physical Properties
I. Common Physical Properties II. Size-Dependent Properties
A. Color A. _____________________________
B. _____________________________ B. _____________________________
C. _____________________________ C. _____________________________
D. _____________________________ D. _____________________________
E. Mass E. _____________________________
F. _____________________________ III. Size-Independent Properties
G. _____________________________ A. _____________________________
H. State B. _____________________________
1. Solid C. _____________________________
2. ___________________________
3. ___________________________

End of
Section

Reading Essentials 75
Name Date

Matter—Properties and Changes

Section 1 Physical Properties

Scan the headings in Section 1 of your book. Identify three topics

that will be discussed.
1.

2.

3.

Review
Vocabulary Define matter using your book or a dictionary.
matter

New
Vocabulary Use your book or a dictionary to define the following terms.
physical property

density

state of matter

size-dependent
property

size-independent
property

Academic
Vocabulary Use a dictionary to define occupy to show its scientific meaning.
occupy

52 Matter—Properties and Changes

Name Date

Section 1 Physical Properties (continued)

Physical Summarize how to calculate density using both words and symbols.
Properties
I found this information To find the density of an object, :
on page .
D  ______

I found this information Complete the States of Matter chart below for forms of water.
on page .
States of Matter
drinking water: ice:
gas

Identify two variables that affect the state of matter.

The state of matter depends on the and

of the matter.

I found this information Compare and contrast size-dependent properties and

on page . size-independent properties by providing examples of each.

Physical Properties
Size-dependent Size-independent
1. 1.

2. 2.

3. 3.

4.

5.

Matter—Properties and Changes 53

Name Date

Section 1 Physical Properties (continued)

Physical Label the pH scale below with values of pH. Identify the pH range
Properties of of acids and the pH range of bases.
Acids and Bases
I found this information 7
on page .

neutral

I found this information Summarize some acidic and basic products that can be
on page . purchased in a grocery store.

Acidic Products Basic Products

1. 1.

2. 2.

CONNECT IT When milk “goes bad,” its pH changes. Infer if it becomes more
acidic or more basic. Support your reasoning.

54 Matter—Properties and Changes