What is Matter?
Everything is made of matter. Matter is all around you. So, what is matter?
Basically, matter is anything that has MASS (can be measured) and VOLUME (takes up space). Look around you now. Everything you can see, feel, taste, smell, and hear is made up of these two properties.
Scientists have classified matter as belonging to one of 3 states on Earth. They are SOLID, LIQUID, and GAS. Look around you again. Everything belongs to one of these groups. However, it is sometimes not that easy to group them. Can you think of examples?
Actually, scientists have described many other states of matter. Some of the "other" states are plasma, and Bose-Einstein Condensates. They are a lot more complex to describe and show.
Basically, matter is anything that has MASS (can be measured) and VOLUME (takes up space). Look around you now. Everything you can see, feel, taste, smell, and hear is made up of these two properties.
Scientists have classified matter as belonging to one of 3 states on Earth. They are SOLID, LIQUID, and GAS. Look around you again. Everything belongs to one of these groups. However, it is sometimes not that easy to group them. Can you think of examples?
Actually, scientists have described many other states of matter. Some of the "other" states are plasma, and Bose-Einstein Condensates. They are a lot more complex to describe and show.
|
|
|
Strange English
People often say “it weighs 300g; it weighs 2kg; it weighs 100mg…”, but this is not scientifically correct. Weight is different to mass.
Weight is the mass multiplied by the force of gravity on it (F = mg), which is around 9.8 m/s on Earth. The units are “N” (Newtons) instead of grams.
So, what is your weight? _______ kg x 9.8 m/s = _______ N
We should be saying “What is the mass of ….?”
People often say “it weighs 300g; it weighs 2kg; it weighs 100mg…”, but this is not scientifically correct. Weight is different to mass.
Weight is the mass multiplied by the force of gravity on it (F = mg), which is around 9.8 m/s on Earth. The units are “N” (Newtons) instead of grams.
So, what is your weight? _______ kg x 9.8 m/s = _______ N
We should be saying “What is the mass of ….?”
Check your understanding
I recommend you open the following two interactive links to check your understanding. They are from Intel Educational Resources - STEM.
Don't forget to complete the test at the end.
Solids, Liquids and Gases
http://inteleducationresources.intel.co.uk/content/keystage3/chemistry/pc/learningsteps/solids_liquids_gases/launch.html
Properties of Solids, Liquids and Gases
http://inteleducationresources.intel.co.uk/content/primary/science/states_of_matter/index.html
I recommend you open the following two interactive links to check your understanding. They are from Intel Educational Resources - STEM.
Don't forget to complete the test at the end.
Solids, Liquids and Gases
http://inteleducationresources.intel.co.uk/content/keystage3/chemistry/pc/learningsteps/solids_liquids_gases/launch.html
Properties of Solids, Liquids and Gases
http://inteleducationresources.intel.co.uk/content/primary/science/states_of_matter/index.html