Name: ___________________________________ Grade & Section: __________________________

MODULE 3 IN SCIENCE 7: PROBING MATTER

WHAT I NEED TO KNOW?

Acid rain is a growing problem on Earth that will get bigger, unless humans do immediate actions and solutions to
stop or minimize it. The damage to the environment may be irreversible! There are natural causes beyond man’s control
that contribute to this problem, like volcanic eruptions emitting acid that produces gases and thunderstorms that in turn
produce nitric oxides that react with water in the atmosphere, resulting in nitric acid generating acid rain. Wildfires, decay
of vegetation, and other biological processes are also naturally-occurring contributing factors.
On this module, you will be able to:
• Recognize that a substance has a unique set of properties
• Investigate the properties of mixtures of varying concentrations
• Classify substances into elements and compounds
• Know that compounds consist of specific elements
• Identify the different properties of metals and nonmetals

WHAT I KNOW?
Multiple Choice. Before you start studying this module, take this simple test to find out what you already know about the topic.
Write the letter of your answer on the space provided on the last page.
1. A substance that cannot be broken down into a simpler form through ordinary chemical means is called a/an ________
a. atom c. element
b. compound d. mixture
2. __________________ is an extensive property of matter.
a. Color c. Melting point
b. Luster d. Weight
3. __________________ is an intensive property of matter.
a. Density c. Mass
b. Luster d. Volume
4. __________________ is a homogenous mixture.
a. Air c. Chicken mami
b. Beef siomai d. Milky way chocolate bar
5. Which of the following is NOT a property of matter?
a. Matter does not take up space c. Matter is made up of atoms
b. Matter has mass d. Matter reflects light

Answer first, then turn to last page and check your answer.

WHAT’S NEW

The table below contains word that have been chopped in half. Find the word that fit together and write them in a pad paper.

ter sym mole ment

cal com pound sity
me bol ele den
sive mat chemi sical
tal cule inten phy

1/8
 WHAT IS IT?

Matter makes up the universe. It is defined as anything that occupies space and has mass. Matter is described by its
properties. You know that you are looking at a dog when you see one. A dog is different from a bird, a cat, or a rat, since the dog
has features that distinguish it from other forms of life. But a single characteristic may not be enough to identify matter. It is not
enough to conclude that a colorless liquid is water. There are other liquids, such as acetone and alcohol, that fit the same
description. Scientists need more information before they can conclude that a particular colorless liquid is water. They should look
for physical and chemical properties to help them identify anything conclusively. Physical properties can be observed or
measured without changing the composition of matter. Chemical properties, however, are associated with the change in the
composition of matter; they can be described based on how a substance changes into another substance.
Matter exhibits two types of general properties: extensive properties and intensive properties. An extensive property
changes when the size or amount of matter changes. Examples of extensive properties are mass, weight, length, and volume. An
intensive property is independent of the size or amount of matter present. Examples of intensive properties include color, density,
melting point, boiling point, odor, luster, malleability, ductility, attraction to magnets, opacity, and hardness among others.

Changes in Matter

Pure Substances
Pure Substances are forms of matter that have a definite and unchanging chemical composition. This means that the
substance is the same no matter where it is found. Salt, water, aluminum foil, baking soda, carbon dioxide, and oxygen are all
pure substances because their composition is the same no matter where you find them. All elements and all compounds are pure
substances.

Elements
Elements are pure substances that are made up of only one type of atom. They cannot be further broken down into
simpler substances. Atoms are composed of smaller particles, but they are not easily broken down by ordinary chemical means.

2/8
 There are currently 118 known elements, most of which are metals. Chemical elements have abbreviations, called
element symbols. Element symbols consist of one, two, or three letters. The first letter of an element symbol is always capitalized
and the second and third letters, if present, are in lowercase.
Some elements, like oxygen, have symbols that are derived directly from their English names. For oxygen, the symbol
is O. For nitrogen, the symbol is N. For calcium, it is Ca. Other elements are different. Their symbols are derived from their Latin
names. The symbol of the element gold is Au from the Latin name aurum, sodium is Na from natrium, and potassium is K from
kalium. Some elements are named after famous scientists like einsteinium, symbol Es, named for Albert Einstein.
Recently discovered elements are flevorium (114) and livermorium (116). Flevorium was named after Georgi Flerov,
founder of the joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna, Russia. Livermorium was named after the Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratory in Livermore, California. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) also named four
new elements: Nihonium (113), Mosconium (115), Tennessine (117), and Oganesson (118). Countries, states, and even planets
show up in the names of elements: Americium (Am), Californium (Cf), and Plutonium (Pu) are examples of elements that are
named after a country (America), a state (California), and a once-known planet (Pluto), respectively.
Chemists developed the periodic table to help them organize information about the elements in a meaningful way. The
periodic table shows the organization of the elements according to their properties.

Some Important Elements in the Human Body

Element Symbol Where Found
Calcium Ca Found in compounds in bones, teeth, and body fluids
Magnesium Mg Found in compounds in bones and body fluids
Mainly found as dissolved salt contained in extracellular fluids;
Sodium Na also found in cellular fluids and involved in transmission of nerve
impulses
A major element found in compounds contained in cellular fluids;
Potassium K
also involved in the transmission of nerve impulses
An important component of hemoglobin and myoglobin stored in
Iron Fe
compounds found in the liver, spleen, and bones.
Located in the thyroid gland; also needed for the hormone
Iodine I
thyroxine

Metals, Nonmetals, and Metalloids

In the blank periodic table shown in figure below, the squares are shaded in three different hues. Most of the elements
on the left side of the periodic table, with the exception of hydrogen, are metals (white). Those few elements on the far-right side
of the periodic table, including hydrogen, are nonmetals (yellow). Between the metals and the nonmetals is a third category of
elements known as metalloids or semimetals (orange).

Fig. A periodic table showing the positions of metals, nonmetals, and metalloids
3/8
 Metals are generally hard, lustrous, malleable (ability to be pounded
into thin sheets), ductile (ability to be drawn into wire), and good conductors
of electricity and heat. Many metals, like aluminum, iron, and copper, form a
strong framework. Some, like copper, silver, and gold, are chemically
unreactive to acids at room temperature and resistant to corrosion and rust.
Others, like lithium, potassium, and sodium, are extremely reactive to air and
water.
Nonmetals are generally gases or solids; they are dull, not
malleable, not ductile, and usually poor conductors of electricity and heat.
Metalloids (semimetals) have some properties of metals and some
properties of nonmetals, or have properties intermediate between those of
metals and nonmetals. For example, silicon, which is a brittle solid, a typical
feature of nonmetals, conducts limited amount of electricity. This makes it a
semiconductor. Silicon is found in granite, quartz, clay, and sand. At its most
basic form, silicon has the same crystalline structure as diamond. That is why
when you walk along the beach and the sun is high, grains of sand seem to
glisten like diamonds.

Alloys are formed by the combination of two or more metals, or a

metal and nonmetal. Other metals, such as chromium, manganese, nickel,
tungsten, and cobalt, are combined with iron to produce steel, an alloy of superior strength, hardness, and durability. About 99
percent of all iron mined in the world today is used to manufacture steel. Table below gives examples of common alloys and their
composition.

Commonly Used Alloys and Their Composition

Alloy Composition
Brass 72% copper, 28% zinc
Bronze 93% copper, 7% tin
Carbon steel 98% iron, 1% manganese, 0.9% carbon
Manganese steel 87% iron, 12% manganese, 1% carbon
Stainless steel 80% iron, 12% chromium, 8% nickel
Chromium steel 95.6% iron, 3.5% chromium, 0.9% carbon
Sterling silver 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper
10 carat gold 42% gold, 40% copper, 12% silver
14 carat gold 58% gold, 24% silver, 17% copper, 1%5 zinc
18 carat gold 75% gold, 18% silver, 7% copper
24 carat gold 100% gold

Compounds
Compounds are pure substances that consists of more than one type of atom. They can be separated into two or more
simpler substances by ordinary chemical reactions. Water, for example, is made up of hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Carbon
dioxide is made up of carbon and oxygen atoms. Table salt is made up of sodium and chlorine. Compounds differ from mixtures
in that compounds are chemically combined.

Fig. Examples of compounds: (a) water, (b) copper sulfate, (c) sodium chloride
4/8
 Mixtures

Mixtures are made up of two or more substances that are physically combined. Examples of mixtures are soil, blood,
seawater, air, milk, and rocks.
Homogenous Mixture
Homogenous mixtures have only one phase. Any portion of a homogenous mixture has the same properties and
composition. Examples of homogenous mixtures include air, tap water, syrup, plain chocolate ice cream, mayonnaise, and alcohol
in water. These examples exist in only one distinct phase of matter – solid, liquid, or gas – wherein their components cannot be
visibly identified.

Fig. Tea with sugar is an example of homogeneous mixture

Solutions, like saltwater and rubbing alcohol, are considered homogenous mixtures because they are in one phase.
Saltwater is a mixture of salt dissolved in water, while rubbing alcohol is mainly isopropyl alcohol and water.

Heterogenous Mixtures
These mixtures are made up of more than one phase or of different parts and can be separated physically. The different
components are visibly distinguishable from one another. Examples of heterogenous mixture include oil in water where two layers
of liquid are seen; salad with an array of different fruits and other food stuff tossed in it; and an ice cream sundae with all the
toppings on it. The components of the mixture are physically distinct from each other and van be easily separated from the mixture.
A sachet of 3-in-1 coffee contains coffee, sugar, and powdered cream. Each component is physically and chemically
distinct from each other; thus, this powdery mixture is heterogeneous. However, dissolving the 3-in-1 coffee in hot water makes
the mixture homogenous, it is difficult to distinguish each of the components in the mixture. However, the coffee, sugar, and
creamer still retain their own chemical composition. One can distinguish by taste the strength of the coffee, the sweetness of the
sugar, and the smoothness of the creamer.
It is possible to separate the components of a mixture through physical means, such as freezing, boiling, evaporating,
straining, decanting, filtering, dissolving (in water or other liquid), or subjecting it to a magnetic field.

Fig. Oil in water is an example of heterogenous mixture

5/8
 WHAT’S MORE?

Direction. Classify the following properties as either PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROPERTY. Write your answer on your
answer sheet.

1. Blue color 9. Reacts with water to form a gas

2. Density 10. Reacts with base to form a water
3. Flammability 11. Hardness
4. Solubility 12. Boiling point
5. Reacts with acid to form H2 13. Can neutralize a base
6. Combustion 14. Luster
7. Sour taste 15. Odor
8. Melting point

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED?

Direction. Tell whether the given mixture is a HOMOGENEOUS MIXTURE or a HETEROGENEOUS MIXTURE. Write your
answer on the answer sheet provided.

1. Sand and water 6. oil and water

2. juice and ice cube 7. 3 in 1 coffee and water
3. salt and pepper 8. Hawaiian pizza
4. fruit salad 9. Alcohol and water
5. pebbles in the aquarium 10. Soil and water

WHAT I CAN DO?

Complete the table on your answer sheet with the different mixtures you have made for one week. Then, identify whether that
mixture is a homogeneous or heterogeneous mixture.

ASSESSMENT

Label each process as a PHYSICAL or CHEMICAL CHANGE. Do it on your answer sheet.

1. Butter melting 6. Exploding fireworks

2. Slicing bread 7. Ripening banana
3. Chewing food 8. Crushing a can
4. Burning a match 9. Digesting food
5. Breaking a glass 10. Breaking a pencil

6/8
Name: ___________________________________ Grade & Section: __________________________
MODULE 3 IN SCIENCE 7 ANSWER SHEET: PROBING MATTER

1. WHAT I KNOW?

WHAT’S NEW?

WHAT’S MORE?

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED?

WHAT I CAN DO?

DAY MIXTURE KIND OF MIXTURE

(Homogeneous or Heterogeneous Mixture)

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

ASSESSMENT
6/8
5/8