REVIEW - Matter and Atoms
Matter is the material that forms everything we know. All matter has mass, even gases. You can measure mass in grams. All matter also occupies space, or has volume. Volume is measured using litres or cubic metres.
Matter is made out of atoms. Atoms are small, and made out of three different particles: protons and neutrons in the centre, and electrons around.
Protons (+) are positively charged.
Electrons (-) are negatively charged.
Neutrons are not charged, and help keep the nucleus stable by stopping the protons from touching.
Matter is made out of atoms. Atoms are small, and made out of three different particles: protons and neutrons in the centre, and electrons around.
Protons (+) are positively charged.
Electrons (-) are negatively charged.
Neutrons are not charged, and help keep the nucleus stable by stopping the protons from touching.
Electrons have much more energy than the protons and neutrons, which is why they have the ability to move around.
In our world, we can classify matter into two groups: Pure Substances and Mixtures.
Homogeneous and heterogeneous mixtures can be confusing. One way to think of it is, if you can clearly see the difference, then it is heterogeneous. If you can't, then it is homogeneous.
A compound is different from a mixture because the particles in the compound have been united chemically, bonded in a way to create a whole new thing, with its own properties that didn't exist before. A mixture is done via a physical process; nothing is actually changing when a mixture happens. The baking soda and the powdered sugar from the Sugar Snake experiment, for instance, formed just a mixture; it was a perfect example of homogeneous mixture.
Depending on the amount of energy matter has, it can change states. The more energy you add, the further apart the atoms become and the more movement between them.
How many states can matter have?
Let's look at the states of matter that we know.
How many states can matter have?
Let's look at the states of matter that we know.
Solid, Liquid and Gas
Besides the three most common states, two more states of matter are now known to us: plasma and Bose-Einstein condensate. First, let's look at what is plasma.
Plasma
Plasma used to be the state with the most energy, and the last to be discovered. It was actually the very first state of matter in the Universe. Only after plasma cooled down, we were able to see all the other states of matter forming.
Plasma has similar properties when comparing to gas, but it is also electrically conductive. Examples of plasma include stars, lightning, fluorescent lights and neon lights.
Turns out, a person can create plasma in their own microwaves by putting two grapes on a dish together.
Do you want to see plasma in your kitchen? You will need two grapes, a small dish and a microwave. Make sure the grapes are touching!
Plasma has similar properties when comparing to gas, but it is also electrically conductive. Examples of plasma include stars, lightning, fluorescent lights and neon lights.
Turns out, a person can create plasma in their own microwaves by putting two grapes on a dish together.
Do you want to see plasma in your kitchen? You will need two grapes, a small dish and a microwave. Make sure the grapes are touching!
The fifth state of matter is the Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC), which forms when a gas of bosons is cooled to temperatures very close to absolute zero (that's like -273.15 C!). At this point, the atoms lose their individual identities and act as a single quantum object or "super-atom".
What are bosons, you may ask? Please don't.
Ok, so bosons are these very tiny particles, so tiny that we can't even see them, also because they dissolve and disappear very quickly. We only know they exist because of certain clues they leave behind.
They have integer spins (0, 1, 2), which are actually not spins, do not move and are super weird, BUT -- they alow these little guys to occupy the same quantum space. Take that, physics!
For more clarification, let's watch the video below!
What are bosons, you may ask? Please don't.
Ok, so bosons are these very tiny particles, so tiny that we can't even see them, also because they dissolve and disappear very quickly. We only know they exist because of certain clues they leave behind.
They have integer spins (0, 1, 2), which are actually not spins, do not move and are super weird, BUT -- they alow these little guys to occupy the same quantum space. Take that, physics!
For more clarification, let's watch the video below!
