States of Matter and Physical Properties

Study Notes

Four main states of matter: solid, liquid, gas, and plasma
Characteristics of each state:
- Solid: fixed shape and volume, particles closely packed
- Liquid: takes shape of container, particles close together but can move past each other
- Gas: takes shape and volume of container, particles widely spaced and moving freely
- Plasma: high-energy state, particles ionized and freely moving

Characteristics of matter that can be observed and measured without changing its chemical composition
Examples of physical properties:
- Color
- Odor
- Texture
- Temperature
- Density
- Solubility
- Melting and boiling points

Characteristics of matter that describe its ability to undergo chemical reactions
Examples of chemical properties:
- Flammability
- Reactivity with other substances
- Ability to undergo oxidation or reduction
- pH level (acidity or basicity)

Law of Conservation of Matter: matter cannot be created or destroyed, only converted from one substance to another
This means that the total amount of matter in a closed system remains constant, even if it changes form
Examples of conservation of matter:
- Chemical reactions: reactants are converted to products, but the total amount of matter remains the same
- Phase changes: matter changes from one state to another, but the total amount of matter remains the same

Solid state: particles are closely packed, with a fixed shape and volume
Liquid state: particles are close together but can move past each other, taking the shape of the container
Gas state: particles are widely spaced and moving freely, taking the shape and volume of the container
Plasma state: a high-energy state where particles are ionized and freely moving

Physical properties can be observed and measured without changing the chemical composition of a substance
Examples of physical properties include:
- Color, a property that can be observed with the eyes
- Odor, a property that can be detected with the nose
- Texture, a property that can be felt with the skin
- Temperature, a property that can be measured with a thermometer
- Density, a property that can be measured by calculating the mass per unit volume
- Solubility, a property that describes the ability of a substance to dissolve in another substance
- Melting and boiling points, properties that describe the temperature at which a substance changes state

Chemical properties describe the ability of a substance to undergo chemical reactions
Examples of chemical properties include:
- Flammability, the ability of a substance to catch fire
- Reactivity with other substances, the ability of a substance to react with other substances
- Ability to undergo oxidation or reduction, the ability of a substance to gain or lose electrons
- pH level, a property that describes the acidity or basicity of a substance

The Law of Conservation of Matter states that matter cannot be created or destroyed, only converted from one substance to another
This means that the total amount of matter in a closed system remains constant, even if it changes form
Examples of conservation of matter include:
- Chemical reactions, where reactants are converted to products, but the total amount of matter remains the same
- Phase changes, where matter changes from one state to another, but the total amount of matter remains the same