LAB WORKS IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY

Unit 7
CLASSIFICATION
OF MATTER

OBJECTIVES
 Classify substance as pure, mixture, elements or compounds
 Identify changes in matter as to physical or chemical

CLASSIFYING MATTER

MATTER is anything that has volume and has mass. This can be classified into: pure substances and compounds.

a. PURE SUBSTANCES have a specific composition and cannot be separated into any constituents. Pure
substances are further divided into elements and compounds.
 ELEMENTS cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical changes. Examples:
carbon, neon, magnesium, boron, gold, etc.
 To date, 118 elements have been positively identified, of which about 90 occur naturally on
the earth, and two dozen or so have been created in laboratories.
o Elements can be classified as metals (e.g. Li, K, Na, etc.) metalloids (e.g. B, Si, As. etc.),
and non-metals (e.g. S, P, Cl, Se, etc.).
o Elements are grouped into diatomic (H2, N2, O2, F2, Cl2, Br2, and I2) and monatomic elements
(other elements beside the 7 diatomic elements)
Elements found in the human body
Elements Mass percent Elements Mass percent
Oxygen 65 Phosphorous 1
Carbon 18 Magnesium 0.5
Hydrogen 10 Potassium 0.34
Nitrogen 3 Sulfur 0.26
Calcium 1.4 Sodium 0.14
 COMPOUND substances that can be broken down by chemical changes. This breakdown may
produce either elements or other compounds, or both. Examples: water, ammonia, sucrose,
methane, alcohol, etc.

b) MIXTURES combination of two or more pure substances (elements or compounds) and can be classified
into homogeneous mixtures and heterogeneous mixtures
 HOMOGENEOUS MIXTURES also called a solution, exhibits a uniform composition and appears
visually the same throughout (can observe only one phase of matter) and can’t be separated
physically. Example: solution (e.g. vinegar, rainwater, soda, salt water, etc.) and colloids (e.g.
mayonnaise, milk, butter, etc.)

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 HETEROGENEOUS MIXTURES is a mixture in which all the components are completely mixed,
easily identified, can be separated physically, and with more than one phase. Examples: suspension
(e.g. chocolate, pizza, cookie dough, sand and gravel, etc.)

STATES OF MATTER

STATES OF MATTER are natural conditions that materials exist in, and for which we use to identify them. The four
ways are called “states”. The four states; solid, liquid, gas, and plasma.
a. SOLIDS are materials which have a definite shape and volume. Under normal conditions they will not
change their own shape. They will not grow or shrink in size.
b. LIQUIDS are materials that have no definite shape but do have a definite volume. Under normal
conditions they can change their shape depending on their container. Like solids they also will not grow
or shrink in size.
c. GASSES are materials that have no definite shape or definite volume. Under normal conditions gasses
are always changing their shape and volume.
d. PLASMA is a gas that has the properties of every other gas, however it has very special abilities. When
it is heated or charged with electricity, it may glow in different colors. It may form “strings” of light.

PROPERTIES OF MATTER

PHYSICAL PROPERTY, these can be observed or measured without changing the identity of the matter.
Examples: density, color, hardness, melting, boiling points, electrical conductivity, size, texture, solubility, etc.

CHEMICAL PROPERTY, describes a substance based on its ability to change into a new substance with
different properties. Examples: combustibility, flammability, reactivity, toxicity, acidity, etc.

Moreover, the property of matter could be further described as:

EXTENSIVE PROPERTY depends on the amount of matter present. Examples: mass, volume, shape, area,
weight, etc.

INTENSIVE PROPERTY does not depend on the amount of matter present. Examples: taste, hardness,
density, melting point, freezing point, color, etc.

MATTER UNDERGOES CHANGES

PHYSICAL CHANGES in matter are reversible, these are changes in which no bonds are broken or formed,
or there is no “new” substance is formed. The change is related to their physical properties that is usually
observed with senses. Processes occurring in a physical change refer to figure.

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CHEMICAL CHANGES, are not reversible, it occurs

when bonds are broken and/or formed between
molecules or atoms or there is a formation of a “new”
substance Indicators of a chemical change include
change in color, formation of bubbles, formation of
precipitates, odor production, and production of heat
(either exothermic or endothermic process).

REFERENCES
 Chang, R. (2022) Chemistry, 14th Edition, McGraw – Hill Inc
 Wacowich-Sgarbi, Shirley; licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-Share Alike
4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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LAB ACTIVITY 6: CLASSIFYING MATTER

Name of student: _______________________________Course & Section: ____________________

Course Code/Title: I-1 General Chemistry Name of Faculty:

Date: __________________________

A. CLASSIFYING MATTER

Instructions: Classify each of the following as an element, compound, heterogeneous mixture, or homogenous
mixture
1 Aluminum foil 11 Table Salt (NaCl)
2 Air 12 Iron Filings
3 Soil 13 Gasoline
4 Water (H2O) 14 Coffee
5 Steel 15 Orange Juice
6 Bag of M&M’s 16 Pencil lead
7 Sugar 17 Copper
8 Sugar water 18 Bronze
9 Pizza 19 Milk and Cereal
10 Blood 20 Acetic acid

B. PROPERTIES OF MATTER
Instruction: Classify each of the properties listed below as extensive or intensive.
1 Color 11 Unreactive
2 Combustibility 12 Odor
3 Hardness 13 Stability
4 Density 14 Malleability
5 Mass 15 Tendency to corrode
6 Melting point 16 Reacts with water
7 Ductility 17 Weight
8 Volume 18 Solubility
9 Rusting 19 Texture
10 Reactivity 20 Taste

C. CHANGES IN MATTER (Part 1)

Instruction: Identify the following condition as physical change (PC) or chemical change (CC).
1 growth of a plant 11 pouring milk into a glass
2 fading of dye in cloth 12 ice cube is placed in the sun
3 melting of ice 13 production of gas
4 digestion of food 14 bicycle changes color as it rusts
5 tearing paper 15 a solid crushed to powder
6 kicking of ball 16 two substances mixed and produced light

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7 excavating soil 17 salt and pepper

8 formation of precipitates 18 chocolate syrup dissolved in water
9 burning of coal 19 toasted marshmallow
10 grinding of beef 20 cake cut in half

D. CHANGES IN MATTER (Part 2)

Instruction: Write T if the statement is true and F if the statement is false, underline the word (s) that make the
statement wrong and make the necessary correction(s) to make it true.
No. Ans. Scenario
Changing the size and shapes of pieces of wood could be a chemical
1
change.
2. Souring of milk is a physical change.
3. Evaporation occurs when liquid water changes into a gas.
4. Texture is a physical property
5. Burning wood is a physical change.
6. Combining hydrogen and oxygen to make water is a physical change.
7. Breaking up concrete is a physical change.
8. Sand being washed out to sea from the beach is a chemical change.
9. When ice cream melts, a chemical change occurs.
10 Acid rain damaging a marble statue is a physical change.

E. HOME EXPERIMENT (15 pts)

Materials
4 jars with lid (identical); 1 medicine dropper; 2 slices of bread
Procedure:
1. Place half a slice of bread into each jar, label it 1 & 2
2. Put 10 drops of water in each jar to MOISTEN the bread
3. Cover the jars tightly, then place one jar under sunlight and the other jar in a dark place (i.e.
closet)
4. Repeat steps 1 & 3, this time DO NOT moisten the slice bread, label it 3 & 4
5. Observe the jars daily for one week, and record your observation in a tabular form (Table 1)
Data and Analysis
Jar Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Moisten Bread
1
2
Dry Bread
1
2
Direction: Answer the following questions based from the results of the experiments.

1. Compare the results of the two jars

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2. What could be the problem (title) in the experiment?

3. How will you answer the problem?

4. What are the implications of the experiment in your everyday living?

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