Classification of Matter

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Matter Noun

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[mat-er]

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Matter

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Anything that has mass and takes up space by having volume, existing in various states like solid, liquid, or gas.

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Example: This image shows that matter is made of particles and can be classified into three common states: solid (tightly packed), liquid (close but random), and gas (far apart).

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Mass Noun

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[mas]

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Mass

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A measure of the amount of matter that an object contains, which is a fundamental property of the object.

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Example: A balance scale shows that an apple has more mass than a 1-gram weight, causing the scale to tip towards the apple.

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Volume Noun

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[vol-yoom]

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Volume

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The amount of three-dimensional space that a substance or object occupies, often measured in cubic units or liters.

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Example: This image shows how to calculate the volume of a cube, a property of matter, by multiplying its side length (s) three times (V=s³).

Front

Pure Substance Noun

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[pyoor sub-stans]

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Pure Substance

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A form of matter having a constant chemical composition and characteristic properties, consisting of only one type of particle.

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Example: Gold is a pure substance because it is an element made up of only one type of atom (gold atoms).

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Element Noun

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[el-uh-muhnt]

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Element

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A pure substance consisting of only one type of atom, which cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means.

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Example: This diagram shows a single atom of the element Sodium, with its unique arrangement of electrons, representing the basic unit of an element.

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Atom Noun

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[at-uhm]

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Atom

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The smallest unit of ordinary matter that forms a chemical element and retains all the chemical properties of that element.

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Example: This diagram shows an atom's structure: a central nucleus with protons and neutrons, surrounded by electrons orbiting in shells, the basic unit of matter.

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Compound Noun

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[kom-pound]

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Compound

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A pure substance formed when two or more different chemical elements are chemically bonded together in a fixed, definite ratio.

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Example: This image shows a molecule of carbon dioxide (CO₂), where one carbon atom is chemically bonded to two oxygen atoms, forming a compound.

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Molecule Noun

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[mol-i-kyool]

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Molecule

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An electrically neutral group of two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds, representing the smallest unit of a compound.

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Example: This diagram shows a water molecule, where one oxygen atom is chemically bonded to two hydrogen atoms, forming a single, stable unit.

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Mixture Noun

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[miks-cher]

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Mixture

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A substance made by physically combining two or more different materials in which no chemical reaction occurs between the components.

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Example: This diagram shows a solution, a type of mixture where solute particles are evenly distributed in a solvent without being chemically bonded.

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Homogeneous Mixture Noun

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[hoh-muh-jee-nee-uhs miks-cher]

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Homogeneous Mixture

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A mixture in which the composition is uniform throughout, and the individual components are not visibly distinguishable from one another.

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Example: A solution is a homogeneous mixture where solute particles are evenly distributed among solvent particles, making the mixture appear uniform throughout.