Exploring the Nature of

Matter
 Particle Theory of Matter
► Allmatter is made up of extremely tiny
particles.
► Each pure substance has its own kind of
particle, different from the particles of
other pure substances.
► Particles attract each other.
► Particles are always moving.
► Particles at a higher temperature move
faster on average than particles at a lower
temperature.
 Scientific Models
► Scientific models help scientists to picture
processes in nature that are difficult to directly
see.
► The Particle Theory of Matter is an example of
scientific model
► The first two points of the PTM allow us to
understand how particles make up substances.
► The last three points explain properties like how
particles stay together and how they behave
when temperature changes.
 States of Matter and the PTM
► Solids – particles do not have enough
energy to move from place to place
► Liquids – particles have enough energy to
break some of the attractive forces but not
all of them.
► Gases – particles have enough energy to
break all of the attractive forces
 Change of State
► Solid to liquid (melting) – particles gain
energy
► Liquid to gas (evaporation) – particles gain
energy
► Gas to liquid (condensation) – particles lose
energy
► Liquid to solid (solidification) – particles lose
energy
► Gas to solid (deposition) – no liquid phase
► Solid to gas (sublimation) – no liquid phase
 Classifying Matter
► Matter can be classified by its state (solid,
liquid, or gas)
► Matter can also be classified according to
one of its properties (heterogeneous or
homogeneous substance)
► Heterogeneous – does not have a uniform
composition (salad dressing)
► Homogeneous – consists of a uniform
composition (salt, water, salt water, gold,
etc.)
 Classifying Matter
► Matter can also be classified based on its
composition: a mixture or a pure substance
► Mixture – a substance composed of two or
more particles
► Pure substance – a substance composed of
one unique particle
 Chemical and Physical Changes
►A chemical change occurs when:
 a change in which something new is formed.
 The starting materials change into an entirely
different substance or substances. This new
substance has a different chemical composition
than the starting materials.
► Examples of chemical changes would be the
reaction of iron with air (rusting} or the
reaction of a metal and acid.
► Certainobservations will indicate that a
chemical change has occurred. These are:
 The reaction produced a change in
temperature.
 Formation of gas bubbles.
 Formation of a solid (precipitate).
 A change in color.
 Formation of a different odour.
 Starting material is used up.
 A material with new properties is formed.
► Iftwo or more of the above occur then a
chemical change has probably taken place.
► Physical change is a change in which the
substance changes form but keeps its same
chemical composition.
► Examples:
► Changes of state are considered to be
physical changes. Liquid water and ice
(frozen water) are both the same
substance, water.
► If you fold a piece of paper it is a physical
change. You have changed the form of the
paper but you have not changed the fact
that it is paper.
► If you heat an iron bar until it glows red hot, it is
still chemically the same iron. The iron has not
changed into something else.
► If you dissolve salt in water you have not changed
the materials chemically. You still have salt and
you still have water. This can be shown if you
choose to separate the mixture by distillation or
the simple evaporation of the water. The salt
would be the residue and the water would be the
distillate.
 Physical Properties
► Physicalproperties are those that can be
observed without changing the identity of
the substance. The general properties of
matter such as color, density, hardness, are
examples of physical properties.
► Can you think of any physical properties?

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 Physical Properties
► Colour
► Taste
► Smell
► State of matter
► Malleability
► Ductility
► Melting point
► Boiling point
► Density
► Solubility
► Viscosity
 Physical Properties
► The previous list can be broken into two
types of physical properties: qualitative and
quantitative.
► Qualitative Physical Properties: a
characteristic that can be described but not
measured.
► Quantitative Physical Properties: a
characteristic that can be measured
numerically.
 Chemical Properties
►A characteristic of a substance that
describes its ability to react chemically with
another substance.
► Can you think of any chemical properties?
 Combustibility
 Reacts with air
 Reacts with water
 Reacts with oxygen
 Reacts with….