Module II

Matter: States, Classification, Properties and Changes

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this module, you should be able to:

1. define matter and give examples of matter;

2. describe and differentiate the states of matter;
3. identify the different classifications of matter;
4. distinguish physical and chemical properties and changes of matter.

I. What is Matter?

Chemistry is the study of matter and the changes it undergoes. We define matter as
anything that takes up space and has mass. Matter is all around us; the air, water, soil,
mountains, even our bodies are all examples of matter. Matter includes things we can see and
touch as well as things we cannot.

States of Matter
At room temperature most substances exist in one of three physical states.
1. Solid
2. Liquid
3. Gas

Some Characteristics of Gases, Liquids and Solids and the Microscopic Explanation for the
Behavior

Solid Liquid Gas

retains a fixed volume and assumes the shape of the assumes the shape and volume
shape container which it occupies of its container
rigid – particles locked into particles can move/slide past particles can move past one
place one another another
not easily compressible not easily compressible compressible
little free space between little free space between lots of free space between
particles particles particles
does not flow easily flows easily flows easily
rigid – particles cannot particles can move/slide past particles can move past one
move/slide past one another one another another

II. Classification of Matter

Chemists distinguish among several subcategories of matter based on composition and

properties. The classification of matter includes the following:

A. Pure Substance – a form of matter that has a definite (constant) composition and
distinct properties. Ex: water, ammonia, table sugar, gold and oxygen. Substances differ from
one another in composition and can be identified by their appearance, smell, taste and other
properties.
 Pure substances can either be:

a. Elements

An element is a substance that cannot be separated into simpler substances by chemical

means. Chemists use symbols of one or two letters to represent the elements. The first letter
of a symbol is always capitalized, but any following letters are not. The symbols of some
elements are derived from their Latin names – for example, Au from aurum (gold), Fe from
ferrum (iron) and Na from natrium (sodium) – while most of them come from their English
names.

i. Metals

Metals have properties that you normally associate with the metals you encounter in
everyday life:

 They are solid (with the exception of mercury, Hg, a liquid).

 They are shiny, good conductors of electricity and heat.
 They are ductile (they can be drawn into thin wires).
 They are malleable (they can be easily hammered into very thin sheets).

ii. Nonmetals
Nonmetals have properties opposite those of the metals. The nonmetals are brittle, not
malleable or ductile, poor conductors of both heat and electricity, and tend to gain electrons in
chemical reactions. Some nonmetals are liquids.

iii. Metalloids
The metalloids, or semimetals, have properties that are somewhat of a cross between
metals and nonmetals. Metalloids tend to be economically important because of their unique
conductivity properties (they only partially conduct electricity), which make them valuable in
the semiconductor and computer chip industry.

b. Compunds

A compound is a substance composed of atoms of two or more elements chemically united

in fixed proportions. Its composition does not change and it can be separated into its pure
components only by chemical means. Examples are water, carbon dioxide, etc.

B. Mixture – a combination of two or more substances in which the substances retain

their distinct identities. Mixtures do not have constant composition. They can be created and
then separated by physical means into pure components without changing the identities of the
components. Mixtures can either be:

i. Homogeneous Mixture – the composition of the mixture is the same throughout

Example: a spoonful of sugar dissolved in water

a. Solution

ii. Heterogeneous Mixture – the composition is not uniform

Example: sand is mixed with iron filings

a. Colloid
b. Suspension
Solution

A solution is a homogeneous mixture that is composed of a solvent and a solute. The

solvent is present at a significantly greater concentration than the solute. The solute dissolves
in the solvent, and the components distribute themselves randomly to form a solution.

Properties of Solutions
A solution possesses following properties –

 A solution is a homogeneous mixture.

 The constituent particles of a solution are smaller than 10 -9 metre in diameter.
 Constituent particles of a solution cannot be seen by naked eyes.
 Solutions do not scatter a beam of light passing through it. So, path of the light beam is
not visible in solutions.
 Solute particles cannot be separated by filtration.
 Solute or solvent particles do not settle down when left undisturbed.
 Solutions are stable at given temperature.

Examples of Solutions

1. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc.

2. The air around us is an example of a gaseous form of solution.
3. Sugar syrup is a solution of sugar in water. Water is the solvent and sugar are the solutes
in this case.
4. Coffee or tea is also an example of a solution.
5. Carbonated drinks are solutions of water as a solvent and carbon dioxide and other
ingredients as solutes.
6. Tincture of iodine has alcohol as the solvent and iodine as the solute.

Types of Solutions

Liquid solutions with water as the solvent are the most often found solutions around us.
But gaseous and solid solutions are also quite abundant in nature. A solute or a solvent may be in
any state of matter- gases, liquids, or solids. So, depending upon the physical state, solutions can
be classified into various types.

Solution Solute Solvent Examples

Alloys like brass (made up of zinc and copper), bronze
Solid-solid Solid Solid (Made up if tin, copper and other elements), Steel (Made
of iron, carbon and other elements), etc.

Solid-liquid Solid Liquid The solution of sugar, salt in water, etc.

Sublimation of substances like iodine, camphor is an
Solid-gas Solid Gas
example of solid-liquid solution

Liquid-solid Liquid Solid Mercury in amalgamated zinc

Alcoholic beverages, ethanol in water, benzene in toluene,
Liquid-liquid Liquid Liquid
etc.

Liquid-gas Liquid Gas Water vapor in the air

 Hydrogen absorbed in palladium that is used for H 2
Gas-solid Gas Solid
Storage
Aerated drinks, Seltzer water which is also CO2 gas in
Gas-liquid Gas Liquid
water, etc.
Gas-gas Gas Gas Air, natural gas, etc.

Colloid

A colloid is a heterogeneous mixture in which the dispersed particles are intermediate in

size between those of a solution and a suspension. The particles are spread evenly throughout
the dispersion medium, which can be a solid, liquid, or gas. Because the dispersed particles of a
colloid are not as large as those of a suspension, they do not settle out upon standing.

Colloids are unlike solutions because their dispersed particles are much larger than those
of a solution. The dispersed particles of a colloid cannot be separated by filtration, but they
scatter light, a phenomenon called the Tyndall effect.

The Tyndall effect allows sunlight to be seen as it passes through

a fine mist. Image by Dave Stokes, CC-BY.

Another property of a colloidal system is observed when the colloids are studied under a
light microscope. The colloids scintillate, reflecting brief flashes of light because the colloidal
particles move in a rapid and random fashion. This phenomenon, called Brownian motion, is
caused by collisions between the small colloidal particles and the molecules of the dispersion
medium
Suspensions

Take a glass of water and throw

in a handful of sand or dirt. Stir it and
stir it and stir it. Have you made a
solution? Sand and dirt do not dissolve
in water, and, though it may look
homogeneous for a few moments, the
sand or dirt gradually sinks to the
bottom of the glass.

A suspension is a heterogeneous mixture in which some of the particles settle out of the
mixture upon standing. The particles in a suspension are far larger than those of a solution, so
gravity is able to pull them down out of the dispersion medium (water). The diameter for the
dispersed particles in a suspension, such as the sand in the suspension described above, is
typically at least 1000 times greater than those in a solution. Unlike a solution, the dispersed
particles can be separated from the dispersion medium by filtering. Suspensions are still
considered heterogeneous because the different substances in the mixture will not remain
uniformly dispersed if they are not actively being mixed.
III. Properties of Matter
Substances are identified by their properties as well as their composition. Properties are
the characteristics and behaviors we use to describe matter.
Matter has two types of properties: physical and chemical.

A. Physical Properties

A physical property can be observed or measured without changing the composition or

identity of a substance.

Some Physical Properties of Matter:

1. Color – how the object absorbs and reflects light

2. Texture – how the substance looks and feels.
3. Temperature - A measure of the average kinetic energy (energy of motion) of
particles in a substance.
4. Mass - The amount of matter in an object (in g or kg).
5. Volume - The amount of space an object occupies (in mL, L, cm 3, m3, etc.)
6. Density – the ratio of mass to volume; reflects the degree of packing of particles in
matter.
7. Luster - The way that a substance reflects light (metallic, non-metallic, glassy, pearly,
dull).
8. Ductility - Ability of a substance to be stretched into a wire.
 9. Malleability - Ability of a substance to be hammered flat and to retain the new shape.
10. State (phase) of matter
11. Hardness - Measure of how easily a material is scratched.
12. Streak - The color left behind when a material is rubbed against a porcelain plate
(warning: streak can be white).
13. Shape (the shape of crystals is called “habit”).

B. Chemical Properties

A chemical property can only be observed when a chemical change is carried out. This also
refers to the ability of a substance to combine with or change into a new substance.
Some common chemical properties are:
• Reactivity – how likely a substance it to react with another substance to create
something new
• Reactive to oxygen
• Reactive to air
• Reactive to water
• Flammability – how likely a substance is to catch fire

Note: All chemical properties are intensive. None are extensive.

Intensive and Extensive Property

All measurable properties of matter fall into one of two additional categories:
a. Intensive property
- one that DOES NOT depend on the amount of the substance present.
- Examples are density, temperature, specific gravity, heat capacity, etc.
b. Extensive property
- one that DOES depend on the amount of the substance present.
- Examples are mass, length, volume, etc.

IV. Changes of Matter

1. Physical Change - Does not alter the chemical composition or identity of the substance,
only the form.
Examples:
- crushing a can
- melting an ice cube
- boiling water
- mixing sand and water

2. Chemical Change - Does alter the chemical composition or identity of a substance and
makes new substances.
A chemical change is also called a chemical reaction.
Examples:
- burning of paper
- digestion of food
- boiling an egg
 - baking a cake

Evidences of a Chemical Change

1. Evolution of light.
2. Temperature change
3. Formation of a new gas/bubbles
4. Color changes
5. Formation of a solid precipitate

All Changes of Matter Involve Energy being Transferred and Transformed

1. Exothermic change - heat moves out the system into the surroundings. The surroundings
get hotter.
2. Endothermic change – heat moves into the system from the surroundings, so the
surroundings gets colder

Phase Change

Phase change is the transformation from one phase to another which occurs when energy
(usually in the form of heat) is added or removed.

Heat Movement During

Description of Phase Change Term for Phase Change
Phase Change
Heat goes into the solid as it
Solid to liquid melting
melts.
Heat leaves the liquid as it
Liquid to solid freezing
freezes.
Heat goes into the liquid as it
Liquid to gas evaporation
vaporizes.
Heat leaves the gas as it
Gas to liquid condensation
condenses.
Heat goes into the solid as it
Solid to gas sublimation
sublimates.
Heat leaves the gas as it
Gas to solid deposition
deposits.