Selfstudys Com File (24)
Selfstudys Com File (24)
Characteristics of Matter
Matter-In Depth
Matter can be defined as anything that has both mass and volume and occupies a
certain space in the universe. The air we breathe, the food we eat, the water we drink,
the clothes we wear, the different plants and animals, stones, sand, etc., are all
examples of matter.
Matter and non-matter: Matter can be distinguished from non-matter in terms of mass,
volume, and space it occupies. A chair, a computer, a car, and a bridge are all
examples of matter. Each of them has mass and volume, and also occupies
space. Non-matter, on the other hand, cannot be measured in terms of mass and
volume. It does not occupy any space either. Examples of non-matter include thirst,
anger, love, and smell.
Though air is invisible and intangible, it does have mass and volume. But it occupies
space. Hence, air can be classified as matter.
Know More
We measure the mass of matter, and not its weight. This is because the mass of matter
is constant, but its weight can vary from place to place. To calculate the weight of any
object, we multiply its mass with the acceleration due to gravity (g) which varies from
place to place. Consequently, the weight of the object varies as well.
1 L = 1000 mL = 1 dm³
Characteristics of Matter
By now we know that the nature of matter is particulate and not continuous. The
particles of matter have certain characteristics. The characteristics of particles of matter
are as follows:
• Matter is made up of extremely small particles called atoms. Atom is the smallest
possible unit of matter that exhibits all the properties of that matter.
• When atoms combine with one another, minute particles are formed, which
are called molecules.
• The particles of matter have spaces between them.
• The particles of matter are in continuous motion.
• The particles of matter attract one another.
• It was used to explain the combustion reactions during the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries.
• According to it, "any material undergoing combustion mainly contains a mysterious
matter called phlogiston and also some clax."
• When a substance is burnt, the phlogiston goes into the surrounding and the clax is left
as ash.
• During the burning of a candle in a closed container, the air present inside the container
becomes saturated with phlogiston. No further phlogiston can be accommodated in the
air and as a result, the candle gets extinguished.
Whiz Kid
While preparing sugar syrup, we dissolve sugar in water. However, after adding a
certain amount of sugar, we observe that sugar does not dissolve anymore and
gets settled at the bottom of the container. Why is it so?
The water is able to dissolve only up to a certain amount of sugar particles. Once its
maximum capacity for dissolving the sugar particles is reached, it does not dissolve any
more of them.
In other words, there is no space left between the water particles to accommodate any
more sugar particles. So, any additional sugar added simply settles at the bottom of the
container.
Know More
Gas pressure
Particles of gas always move with high speed. Pressure is created when gaseous
particles hit the walls of the container in which they are enclosed.
For example, you must have observed that the continuous blowing of a balloon causes
it to burst. This is because the gas particles put pressure on the inner walls of the
balloon.
Excess blowing in of air increases the number of gas particles inside the balloon. As a
result, the pressure of the gas increases and, ultimately, the balloon bursts.
We know that everything is made up of matter, yet things exist in different forms. What
makes things look different from one another?
The view of the hills during winters is ideal for observing the three main states of
matter—solid, liquid and gas. Here, you can see heavy clouds which are nothing but
collections of vapourised water particles.
You can also see liquid water falling from these same clouds as rain. And of course,
there is the dusting of snow which is in fact solidified water.
Matter is said to be solid if it has a fixed shape and a fixed volume. For example, a
pen. It has a fixed shape and a fixed volume; hence, it is solid. Matter that does not
have a fixed shape is not solid, as is the case with water. The particles of solids have a
minimum or no kinetic energy and therefore the particles do not have any movement.
The intermolecular spaces between the particles of solid are very small due to stronger
attraction among the particles. Solids, therefore, cannot be compressed.
Activity Time
Procedure: Collect a pen, a book, and a needle. Trace the shapes of these materials in
a notebook and compare the tracings. Also, try compressing each material.
Result: When you compare the tracings, you will observe that each material has a
distinct shape and boundary. When you try compressing the materials, you will observe
that each material has negligible [[mn: glossary]]compressibility[[/mn: glossary]].
This is the reason why it is difficult to clean (rub) a used blackboard that has not been
cleaned for several days.
Whiz Kid
It is possible to stretch certain substances without breaking them. These substances are
made up of long chains of atoms bonded together (usually carbon atoms bonded by
covalent bonds).
These substances are called polymeric substances. This is why the shape of rubber
changes when stretched even though it is solid.
Did You Know?
Although sponge is solid, it can be bent and squeezed. Sponge has minute holes on its
surface.
Air is trapped in these holes. This air is expelled as we press or squeeze sponge. This
makes it possible to bend and squeeze sponge.
The Solid State
Unlike a solid, a liquid has no fixed shape. However, it does have a fixed volume. It
takes the shape of the container in which it is kept. For example, water does not have a
fixed shape, but its volume is fixed. When a certain volume of water is poured into a
container, it takes the shape of the container, but its volume remains the same. On the
other hand, a pen (which is a solid) has a fixed shape and volume.
A liquid is not rigid, i.e., it flows freely. The intermolecular spaces in a liquid are greater
than in case of a solid. Hence, a liquid has more compressibility than a solid. The
particles of liquids have more kinetic energy than solid particles and therefore has
greater speed than solid particles.
• A liquid does not have a fixed shape. It takes the shape of the container in which it is
kept.
• A liquid has a fixed volume.
• It is not rigid, i.e., it flows freely.
• It has more compressibility than a solid. So, it can easily diffuse in other liquids.
• In most cases, the density of a substance in the liquid state is lesser than its density in
the solid state.
Usually liquids have lower density than solids, yet ice floats in water. Can you say
why?
Ice is lighter than water since a particular mass of ice occupies more space than the
same mass of water. In ice, water molecules are closely packed because of the tight
bonding between them. This makes ice lighter than water.
Know More
Solids, liquids and gases can diffuse in liquids. The dissolution of salt or sugar in water
and the dissolution of ink in water are examples of the same. Gases such as oxygen
and carbon dioxide diffuse and dissolve in water bodies.
It is because of these gases that aquatic plants and animals are able to survive
underwater.
This high rate of diffusion in liquids is because of the fact that a liquid has larger
intermolecular spaces.
Did You Know?
Bronze, an alloy, expands when its state changes from liquid to solid. This property of
bronze is utilized in moulding statues.
A gas neither has a fixed shape nor a fixed volume. Hence, it does not have a fixed
boundary. It can flow in all directions and can be easily compressed. In a given space,
the number of particles in a gas is lesser than in the case of a solid or a liquid.
The constituent particles of a gas show a random motion because of the presence of
large spaces between them. Consequently, the kinetic energy of the particles in a gas is
more than in the case of a solid or a liquid. Due to the large distances between the
particles, the forces of attraction between them are very low or negligible.
Activity Time
Procedure: Take three 100 mL syringes and remove their pistons. Close the nozzles of
the syringes with rubber corks. Fill one syringe with chalk powder and another with
water. Now, reinsert the pistons and push them.
Result: The force required to push the pistons of syringes containing chalk powder and
water will be greater than that required to push the piston of the syringe containing air.
Solved Examples
Easy
Example 1: Answer the questions with a ‘Yes’ or a ‘No’ for each of the three states
of matter.
Solution:
Easy
Example 2:
Solution:
i → b; ii → d; iii → a; iv → e; v → c
Medium
Example 3:
i) The container I’m placed in does not matter. My shape does not change. I’m
_______.
ii) I’m flexible and particles can move with some speed. I’m _______.
iii) I possess highest kinetic energy and my particles move with high speed. I’m
_______.
Solution:
(i) solid
(ii) liquid
(iii) gas
(iv) plasma
Changes Among Various States of Matter
Change of State-An Overview
In daily life, we see different kinds of changes in the states of matter. The formation of
ice cubes from water in the refrigerator is an example of a change in the state of matter
from liquid to solid. When water is boiled, vapours are formed. This is an example of
change in the state of matter from liquid to gas.
The following terminologies are used to describe the changes in the states of matter.
• Change from the solid state to the liquid state is called melting.
• Change from the liquid state to the solid state is called freezing.
• Change from the liquid state to the gaseous state is called vapourisation.
• Change from the gaseous state to the liquid state is called condensation.
There are two other changes between the three states of matter—sublimation and
deposition.
Sublimation: It is the process in which a substance changes directly from the solid
state to the gaseous state without entering into the liquid state. The changing of snow
into water vapour is an example of sublimation. Some common examples of substances
that sublime are dry ice, camphor, and naphthalene.
When we open the refrigerator, we see freezing fog. This is nothing but
condensed water.
Air contains vapours. When we open the refrigerator, the temperature comes down.
This condenses the vapours into tiny drops of water and produces freezing fog.
Temperature Affecting the Change of State
Let us perform an activity to understand the effect of temperature on the different states
of matter.
Procedure: Take about 150 g of ice in a beaker and use a laboratory thermometer to
note the temperature of ice. Start heating the beaker on a low flame and record the
temperature when the ice starts melting. Observe the temperature when all the ice gets
converted into water. Stir the water with a glass rod till it starts boiling.
Result: In the beginning, the temperature of ice is below 0°C. When ice begins melting,
the temperature is recorded to be 0°C. Temperature remains constant at 0°C untill all
the ice melts. The continued heating of water causes its temperature to rise.
You know that matter, irrespective of its state, consists of particles. What happens to
these particles of matter while it is undergoing a change in its state? For us to
understand this, we need to first know that:
Particle-particle force of attraction: Every particle of matter attracts the particles near
it. An increase in the distance between particles decreases the force of attraction
between them. Conversely, a decrease in distance increases this force of attraction.
The given figure shows the kinetic energy of particles and the particle-particle force of
attraction in the three states of matter.
When a solid substance is heated, there is an increase in the kinetic energy of its
constituent particles. As a result, the particles start vibrating with greater speed. This
extra energy helps the particles to overcome the particle-particle force of attraction.
Soon, they leave their positions and start moving more freely. Consequently, the
substance melts into its liquid state. This is known as melting point. The melting point
of ice is 0°C.
Liquids have a characteristic temperature at which they turn into solids. This is
called freezing point. The freezing point of water is 0°C.
Further heating increases the kinetic energy of the liquid particles. This increases the
velocity of the particles. At a certain temperature, they obtain enough energy to break
free from the particle-particle force of attraction. At this point, the liquid changes into its
gaseous state. This is known as boiling point. The boiling point of water is 100°C.
During the conversion of ice into water, the temperature remains constant until all the
ice melts into water. The supplied heat is used up for changing water from its solid state
to its liquid state. The heat energy is absorbed by the ice without showing any rise in
temperature. This heat energy is called latent heat.
The amount of heat required to convert 1 kg of a solid into its liquid state without a
change in temperature (i.e., at its melting point) is called latent heat of fusion. For ice,
the latent heat of fusion is 334 kJ kg−1. This implies 334 kJ of heat has to be provided to
convert 1 kg of ice at 0°C into 1 kg of water at 0°C. Conversely, 334 kJ of heat is
released when 1 kg of water freezes at 0°C to give 1 kg of ice at 0°C.
Know More
Heating curve
If the increase in temperature during heating and the absorbed heat are plotted on a
graph, then the curvature which is formed is called the heating curve.
In the figure, ‘A’ represents the rise in the temperature of the substance in its solid state
from −50ºC to 0°C; ‘B’ shows the latent heat of fusion; ‘C’ shows the increase in the
temperature of the substance in its liquid state from 0°C to 100°C; ‘D’ shows the latent
heat of vapourisation, and ‘E’ shows the increase in the temperature of the substance in
its gaseous state.
Solved Examples
Easy
Example 1:
If the melting point of a solid is high, then the __________ between the particles is
stronger.
Solution:
force of attraction
Medium
Example 2:
Which has more energy: solid wax at 42°C or liquid wax at 42°C?
Solution:
Liquid wax at 42°C has more energy than solid wax at the same temperature.
Hard
Example 3:
Choose the process which will absorb heat/energy from the surroundings.
Solution:
Three scales are commonly used for measuring temperature, namely, the Celsius
scale, the Fahrenheit scale, and the Kelvin scale.
The relation between the Celsius and the Kelvin scale can be expressed as C + 273 = K
The relation between the Celsius and the Fahrenheit scale can be expressed as follows:
Celsius to Fahrenheit:
• The temperature zero Kelvin is known as absolute zero. Nothing can be colder than
zero Kelvin.
• Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide. Its temperature is −78.5°C. It turns directly into carbon
dioxide gas without undergoing a liquid phase. Its sublimation characteristic and super-
cold temperature make dry ice suitable for refrigeration. It is commonly used to export
frozen materials across long distances.
Whiz Kid
Take some ammonium chloride salt in a china dish. Crush the salt and cover the dish
with a funnel, as shown in the figure. Plug the stem of the funnel using some cotton.
After this, start heating the dish slowly using a burner.
Upon heating, ammonium chloride will vapourise without transforming into its liquid form
(sublimation). Later, the vapours will get cooled on the walls of the funnel and will
directly convert into solid ammonium chloride (deposition).
We know that change in temperature affects the state of matter. Change in pressure,
too, affects the state of matter. Let us see how.
We have a gas in a closed container. Say, we put some weight on the lid of the
container. This increases the pressure on the container, which in turn causes the gas
particles to come close to one another. As a result, the kinetic energy of the particles
reduces. Nevertheless, the particles are still quite far away from one another and,
hence, are still in the gaseous state. When the pressure on the container is increased
further, the gas particles come very close to one another. Gradually, the gas liquefies.
Mussoorie is a hill station set at a height of about 2000 m above sea level. Atmospheric
pressure decreases as you go up from the sea level. Decrease in pressure lowers the
boiling point of water below 100°C.
Whiz Kid
Liquid crystals are believed to be an independent state of matter as their properties lie
in between those of liquids and solid crystals. They exist in a specific temperature
range. They behave as solids below that temperature range and as liquids above that
temperature range.
Know More
Together with low temperature, high pressure is generally used to liquefy gases.
A highly combustible gas is released during the fractional distillation of crude oil. This
gas is known as petroleum gas. Petroleum gas is also trapped over the reserves of oil
present beneath Earth’s crust. Petroleum gas is liquefied by applying high pressure and
low temperature. This is known as liquefied petroleum gas or LPG. LPG is used as a
domestic fuel.