States Of Matter

Matter is all around us. Matter is what things are made of.

It possesses two fundamental properties-

1. MASS – Mass is defined as the amount of matter in an object. A small object like a piece of iron may have a lot of mass, whereas a large gas-filled balloon will not! There is a difference between weight and mass of an object. Mass is the measure of matter in an object, whereas weight is a measure of gravity’s pull on an object.
2. VOLUME – Volume is the amount of space that something occupies. Different states of matter will occupy spaces in different ways, hence have different volumes.

Classification

We have discussed in the lesson on Atomic theory that matter is made up of tiny units or particles known as atoms. A group of two or more atoms combines to form a molecule. A molecule can be the atoms of the same element or a combination of different elements.

For e.g. two atoms of oxygen combine to form a molecule of oxygen gas. Two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen combine to form a molecule of water. Thus, a glass of water will contain millions of water molecules.

 Based on how these molecules are arranged in it, matter can exist mainly in four states –

The following table summarizes their basic characteristics –

4. PLASMA – It is the fourth state of matter and is a subset of gases. When energy is added to a gas, the atoms get excited and electrons separate out. The positively charged nuclei called ions roam freely creating a state of matter called plasma. Plasma is seen in nature in stars (including our sun), lightning, tail of a comet, Earth’s ionosphere among others. More details will be shared as you grow a little more!

CHANGE IN STATES

Matter can be changed from one state to another by heating or cooling it. Let’s take the example of water.

The various processes by which we can change the state of water are-

SOLIDIFICATION –

Solidification is the opposite of melting. When we take water and put it in an ice tray that goes into the freezer, the liquid water solidifies into (solid) ice. This happens when the surrounding temperature dips around the matter. Try making a fruit (solid) popsicle today by freezing some of your favorite (liquid) juice!

Metals are cast into shapes by melting and solidifying processes. They are first melted at high temperatures, poured into a mold of desired shape and cooled. Once they solidify, they are removed from their molds.

CONDENSATION –

Condensation is the opposite of evaporation that causes matter in a gaseous state to turn into liquids. It is seen when the matter in the gaseous state is cooled. When you cover some boiling water, droplets of water appear on the lid which is formed from the condensation of steam or water vapor. When a cold can is kept at room temperature, the warm air hits the cold surface, which condenses the water vapor present in the air. They condense and appear on the can as droplets of water.

Anything that has mass and takes up space is called matter. It is found all over the Universe, out of which we see some of their states on Earth. We will probably discover more states of matter as the Universe continues to be explored more and more.

Check Point

1. In ________, the molecules are tightly packed that gives them a definite shape.
2. Popsicles are formed when liquid is turned into solid by a process called _______.
3. The drying of clothes is an example of __________.
4. _________ is the fourth state of matter that comprises of ions.
5. Dew drops in the morning are an example of ____________ of atmospheric water vapor.

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