Module I

Matter: States, Classification, Properties and Changes

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this module, you should be able to:

1. define matter and give examples of matter;

2. differentiate the states of matter;
3. identify the different classifications of matter;
4. distinguish physical and chemical properties of matter;
5. distinguish physical and chemical changes of matter;
6. identify the different methods of separating mixtures.

Matter
We define matter as anything that takes up space and has mass. Matter includes things
we can see and touch as well as things we cannot.

States of Matter
At room temperature most substances exist in one of three physical states.
1. Solid
2. Liquid
3. Gas

Some Characteristics of Gases, Liquids and Solids and the Microscopic Explanation for the
Behavior

Solid Liquid Gas

retains a fixed volume and assumes the shape of the assumes the shape and volume
shape container which it occupies of its container
rigid – particles locked into particles can move/slide past particles can move past one
place one another another
not easily compressible not easily compressible compressible
little free space between little free space between lots of free space between
particles particles particles
does not flow easily flows easily flows easily
rigid – particles cannot particles can move/slide past particles can move past one
move/slide past one another one another another

Phase Changes

Phase change is the transformation from one phase to another which occurs when energy
(usually in the form of heat) is added or removed.

Heat Movement During

Description of Phase Change Term for Phase Change
Phase Change
Heat goes into the solid as it
Solid to liquid melting
melts.
 Heat leaves the liquid as it
Liquid to solid freezing
freezes.
vaporization (includes boiling Heat goes into the liquid as it
Liquid to gas
and evaporation) vaporizes.
Heat leaves the gas as it
Gas to liquid condensation
condenses.
Heat goes into the solid as it
Solid to gas sublimation
sublimates.
Heat leaves the gas as it
Gas to solid deposition
deposits.

Classification of Matter

Chemists distinguish among several subcategories of matter based on composition and

properties. The classification of matter includes the following:

A. Pure Substance – a form of matter that has a definite (constant) composition and
distinct properties. Ex: water, ammonia, table sugar, gold and oxygen. Substances differ from
one another in composition and can be identified by their appearance, smell, taste and other
properties.

Pure substances can either be:

i. Elements

An element is a substance that cannot be separated into simpler substances by chemical

means. Chemists use symbols of one or two letters to represent the elements. The first letter
of a symbol is always capitalized, but any following letters are not. The symbols of some
elements are derived from their Latin names – for example, Au from aurum (gold), Fe from
ferrum (iron) and Na from natrium (sodium) – while most of them come from their English
names.

ii. Compunds

A compound is a substance composed of atoms of two or more elements chemically united

in fixed proportions. Its composition does not change and it can be separated into its pure
components only by chemical means. Examples are water, carbon dioxide, etc.

Practice Exercise: Name five compounds found at home and give their use/uses.

B. Mixture – a combination of two or more substances in which the substances retain

their distinct identities. Mixtures do not have constant composition. They can be created and
then separated by physical means into pure components without changing the identities of the
components. Mixtures can either be:

i. Homogeneous Mixture – the composition of the mixture is the same throughout

Example: a spoonful of sugar dissolved in water

ii. Heterogeneous Mixture – the composition is not uniform

Example: sand is mixed with iron filings

Methods of Separating Mixtures
Most of the time the substances that we see around us are not in their pure form. They
are basically a mixture of two or more substances. Interestingly, mixtures tend to also come in
different forms. Therefore, there are several types of separation techniques that are used in
segregating a mixture of substances. As for the need for separation, it is usually done to
remove all the unwanted materials and obtain useful components.
1. Evaporation
Evaporation is a technique used to separate out homogenous mixtures where there
is one or more dissolved solids. This method drives off the liquid components from the
solid components. The process typically involves heating the mixture until no more liquid
remains. Prior to using this method, the mixture should only contain one liquid component,
unless it is not important to isolate the liquid components. This is because all liquid
components will evaporate over time. This method is suitable to separate a soluble solid
from a liquid.

Evaporation Process
2. Filtration
Filtration is a separation method used to separate out pure substances in mixtures
comprised of particles some of which are large enough in size to be captured with a
porous material. Particle size can vary considerably, given the type of mixture. For
instance, stream water is a mixture that contains naturally occurring biological organisms
like bacteria, viruses, and protozoans. Some water filters can filter out bacteria, the
length of which is on the order of 1 micron. Other mixtures, like soil, have relatively large
particle sizes, which can be filtered through something like a coffee filter.

Filtration Process

3. Distillation
Distillation is an effective method to separate mixtures comprised of two or more
pure liquids. Distillation is a purification process where the components of a liquid
mixture are vaporized and then condensed and isolated. In simple distillation, a mixture is
heated, and the most volatile component vaporizes at the lowest temperature. The vapor
passes through a cooled tube (a condenser), where it condenses back into its liquid state.
The condensate that is collected is called distillate.

Distillation Set-up

4. Decantation
A process where you carefully pour out the liquid out and leave any solids or
sediments in the container. A lot of people will use decanting to remove sediments from
wine. You may have done this when you pour water out of a pot when making spaghetti.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0-JcyEVWpE

5. Sedimentation
As dense substances settle at the bottom of a mixture, they form sediments.
• Sedimentation is the process of using gravity to separate the sediments.
• Sometimes substances aren’t dense enough to fall on their own, in these instances
we use chemicals called flocculants to clump the suspended particles together,
allowing them to sink.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seFuFG_x-b8
 6. Flotation
Flotation is the opposite of sedimentation, instead of relying on things falling to
the bottom, flotation relies on substances floating to the top. Once the substance is a
the top, we can scoop it out of the mixture.
Sometimes, to help something float we need to increase it’s buoyancy, making it
take up more space without becoming denser. We can do this by forming small air bubbles
around it which attach to the solids making them rise to the surface. This technique is
called DAF (dissolved air flotation).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0neTyDvk-ek

7. Chromatography
Chromatography is the separation of a mixture by passing it in solution
or suspension or as a vapor (as in gas chromatography) through a medium in which the
components move at different rates. Thin-layer chromatography is a special type of
chromatography used for separating and identifying mixtures that are or can be colored,
especially pigments.

8. Magnetic Separation
Magnetic separation uses magnets to attract some metals from other non-magnetic
materials. Anything made up of iron will be attracted to the magnet, making it great for
separating iron and other magnetic metals from plastics, glass, aluminum, and paper.

9. Sieving
It is done to separate mixtures that contain substances mostly of different sizes.
The mixture is passed through the pores of the sieve. All the smaller substances pass
through easily while the bigger components of the mixture are retained.

10. Centrifugation
Centrifugation is a method used to divide components of a mixture into separate
isolations. Centrifugation is carried out by a centrifuge.
In this process, the denser component of the mixture migrates away from the axis
and the lighter component migrates towards the axis.
Let us understand this process with the example of milk, as the tubes containing
the milk are rotated, the heavier milk is pulled outward against the wall, whereas, the
lighter cream is collected in the middle. Both the components are then collected
separately.
This method is extensively used to collect cells, precipitate DNA and purify virus
particles in the medical field.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEXWd3_fM94

Properties of Matter
The different types of matter can be distinguished through two components: composition
and properties. The composition of matter refers to the different components of matter along
with their relative proportions. The properties of matter refer to the qualities/attributes that
distinguish one sample of matter from another.
Matter has two types of properties: physical and chemical.
A. Physical Properties
A physical property can be observed or measured without changing the composition or
identity of a substance.

Some Physical Properties of Matter:

1. Color – how the object absorbs and reflects light
2. Texture – how the substance looks and feels.
3. Temperature - A measure of the average kinetic energy (energy of motion) of
particles in a substance.
4. Mass - The amount of matter in an object (in g or kg).
5. Volume - The amount of space an object occupies (in mL, L, cm3, m3, etc.)
6. Density – the ratio of mass to volume; reflects the degree of packing of particles in
matter.
7. Luster - The way that a substance reflects light (metallic, non-metallic, glassy, pearly,
dull).
8. Ductility - Ability of a substance to be stretched into a wire.
9. Malleability - Ability of a substance to be hammered flat and to retain the new shape.
10. State (phase) of matter
11. Hardness - Measure of how easily a material is scratched.
12. Streak - The color left behind when a material is rubbed against a porcelain plate
(warning: streak can be white).
13. Shape (the shape of crystals is called “habit”).

B. Chemical Properties
Chemical properties are characteristics that can only be measured or observed as matter
transforms into a particular type of matter. Reactivity, flammability, and the ability to rust are
among them. The tendency of matter to react chemically with other substances is known as
reactivity. Flammability, toxicity, acidity, the reactivity of various types, and heat of
combustion are examples of chemical properties.

• Reactivity – The tendency of matter to combine chemically with other substances is

known as reactivity. Certain materials are highly reactive, whereas others are extremely
inactive. Potassium, for example, is extremely reactive, even in the presence of water. A
pea-sized piece of potassium reacts explosively when combined with a small volume of
water.
• Flammability – The tendency of matter to burn is referred to as flammability. As matter
burns, it reacts with oxygen and transforms into various substances. A flammable matter
is anything like wood.
• Toxicity – Toxicity refers to the extent to which a chemical element or a combination of
chemicals may harm an organism.
• Acidity – A substance’s ability to react with an acid is a chemical property. Some metals
form compounds when they react with different acids. Acids react with bases to create
water, which neutralizes the acid.

Chemical properties are extremely helpful when it comes to distinguishing compounds.

Chemical properties, on the other hand, can only be detected when a material is in the process
of being changed into another substance.
Note: All chemical properties are intensive. None are extensive.

Intensive and Extensive Property

All measurable properties of matter fall into one of two additional categories:
a. Intensive property
- one that DOES NOT depend on the amount of the substance present.
- Examples are density, temperature, specific gravity, heat capacity, etc.
b. Extensive property
- one that DOES depend on the amount of the substance present.
- Examples are mass, length, volume, etc.

Changes of Matter
1. Physical Change - Does not alter the chemical composition or identity of the substance,
only the form.
2. Chemical Change - Does alter the chemical composition or identity of a substance and
makes new substances.
A chemical change is also called a chemical reaction.

All Changes of Matter Involve Energy being Transferred and Transformed

1. Exothermic change - heat moves out the system into the surroundings. The
surroundings get hotter.
2. Endothermic change – Heat moves into the system from the surroundings, so the
surroundings gets colder!

Evidence of a Chemical Change

1. Evolution of light.
2. Temperature change
3. Formation of a new gas/bubbles
4. Color changes
5. Formation of a solid precipitate

https://flexbooks.ck12.org/cbook/ck-12-chemistry
flexbook2.0/section/2.10/primary/lesson/methods-for-separating-mixtures-chem/
https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_Chemistry/Introductory_Chemis
try_(CK-12)/02%3A_Matter_and_Change/2.10%3A_Separating_Mixtures
https://byjus.com/chemistry/methods-of-separation/
https://byjus.com/chemistry/properties-of-matter/