3.

1 What is Matter

Matter Has Mass and Occupies Space

• Definition : Matter is anything that has mass and

occupies space.

☻ All living thing and non living things in the world

are matter.

☻ A matter is an object which has weight and

can fill up space.
Examples for matter and non matter:

Matter Non-Matter
Living matter Non-living matter
Animals Air Light
Plants Water Electric current
Insect Soil Sound
Human Gas Magnet
Algae Wave
Hypothesis: Air has mass and space.

Showing that things has mass and occupy space.

1. (a) AIR HAS MASS

Below is a simple activity to show that air

has mass.

Procedure:

i) Balloons P and Q are filled with air.

They are balance with sticking a piece
of cellophane tape to the lighter
(Figure1).
balloon (Figure 1)

ii) Balloon P is pricked with a pin

through the cellophane tape. Air comes
out of the balloon. Balloon P becomes
lighter than balloon Q which is filled
with air (Figure 2)
 Drinking straw
Two balanced balloons

P Q
Balloon
Air

Cellophane tape
Pin

Position of balloons before being pricked with a pin

(Figure 1)
 The balloon
Balloon that is leaking filled with
air is heavier

Position of balloons after being pricked with a pin

(Figure 2).
1. (b) AIR OCCUPIES SPACE

Procedure:

beaker
air
water
basin
i) A beaker is filled with air.

ii) It is then placed upside down in a basin

of water (see Figure 3). The water in the
basin doesn’t enter the beaker.
Hypothesis: Water has mass and space.

Showing that things has mass and occupy space.

2. (a) WATER HAS MASS

Procedure: A beaker is placed on a lever balance.

Water is poured into the beaker.
The reading on the lever balance
increases as the water is poured in.

water

indicator
2. (b) WATER OCCUPIES SPACE

Procedure: Pour water into a measuring cylinder

until it reaches the 60cm3 mark.
Water has volume. Its volume is the
space that is filled with water.

60cm3 Volume of water = 60 cm3

Measuring Cylinder

Inference: water is matter because it has mass and

occupies space
Hypothesis: Soil has mass and space.

Showing that things has mass and occupy space.

3. SOIL HAS MASS AND OCCUPIES SPACE

soil

20cm3 Measuring Cylinder

soil Lever balance

Procedure:

i) Put some soil into a measuring cylinder.

Note it volume. Figure 6

ii) Place some soil on the lever balance.

The reading on a lever balance increases

Inference: Soil is matter because it

has mass and occupies space
1. Complete the sentences:
a) Matter is any object that has ______ and __________.
b) A heavy object contains more ______than a light
object.
c) The _______ of an object is the total space filled by
matter.

2. Name three types of matter that are essential for life.

3. Is it possible for an object to have mass but not

occupies space?

4. Are light and sound examples of matter?

Explain your answer.
Answer
1. a. mass, occupies space
b. matter
c. volume

2. Air, water, plants

3. No.

4. Light and sound are not matter. They do not have mass
and do not occupy space.