Tuesday 1 July 2014

States of Matter




Materials have a solid, liquid and gas form. Each of these forms is known as a state of matter. In each of its states the particles of a substance behave very differently. A substance can change from one state  to another through what is known as a state transition. These state transitions are mainly the result of temperature changes.







Why Does Matter Matter?
by Kelly Hashway


What do trees, air, and water have in common? They all have matter. That means they take up 

space. You might be wondering why these things look so different if they all have matter. Everything 

found on Earth can be grouped into one of three states of matter: solid, liquid, or gas. In order to figure out which state of matter an object fits in, we have to examine its properties. The properties we look at are shape, mass, and volume. Mass is the amount of matter an object has, and volume is the amount of space the matter takes up.

Solids are easy to recognize. They have definite shape, mass, and 
volume. Trees are solids. They are made up of tiny particles called atoms. 
These atoms are packed closely together, and they hold the solid in a 
definite shape that does not change. If you look around your house, you 
will see lots of solids. Televisions, beds, tables, chairs, and even the food 
you eat. 


Liquids do not have definite shape, but they do have definite mass 
and volume. Liquids are similar to solids because their atoms are close 
together, but what makes a liquid different is that those atoms can move 
around. Liquids can change shape by flowing. If you’ve ever spilled a glass 
of milk, then you know it spreads out across the floor. It does this because 
the milk is taking the shape of the floor. Since liquids do not have a definite 
shape of their own, they will take the shape of their containers. This is why 
the same amount of milk can look different in a tall glass, a wide mug, or 
spread out on your kitchen floor.

Gases do not have definite shape or volume. Like liquids, gasses 
will take the shape of their containers. If a gas is not in a container, it will 
spread out indefinitely. This is because the atoms in a gas are spaced 
farther apart than in a solid or a liquid. And being spread out like this 
allows them to move around freely. Think about the air you breathe 
everyday. That air is spread across the empty space around the earth. 
You’ve probably also noticed that you usually cannot see the air. This is 
another property of gases. Even though we cannot see them, you 
come in contact with them everyday. There’s air in the tires of your 
family car and your bicycle. The sun is made up of gases, and the 
clouds in the sky are mostly made from water vapor.

When trying to remember the three states of matter, think about 
water. If it freezes into a solid, it becomes ice. Its atoms are packed 
together keeping its shape. Of course, we know water can also be a 
liquid. It flows in rivers or it can be poured from a glass. When water 
evaporates it becomes water vapor, a type of gas in the air. Try a 
little experiment of your own by placing an ice cube in a covered 
glass or container. You will be able to observe the ice first in its solid 
form and then watch as it melts into a liquid to become water. 
Eventually the water will turn to water vapor and your glass or 
container will be filled with this gas.

You can see three different 
states of matter in this 
picture. The pot is made of 
solid matter. The water 
inside the pot is liquid. 
When the liquid is heated it 
becomes water vapor, 
which is a gas.

Credits:
 Vidya Teekasingh:54666
Dynece John Shoy: 63855
Brokelinder Singh:63797