Science Lesson: Matter and Their Parts

Lesson Overview

• What Is Matter?
• States of Matter
• Molecules and Elements
• Mixtures and Solutions
• Physical Properties of Matter
• Changes in Matter: Physical and Chemical
• Mass and Volume
• Density: How Packed Is the Matter?
• Temperature and States of Matter
• The Role of Energy in Matter
• Conservation of Matter

Everything around us is made of matter-from the air we breathe to the water we drink and the furniture we sit on. Matter is all around us, and it comes in many different forms. But what is matter made of? How can we describe it? 

Let's explore what matter is, how it's classified, and the tiny parts that make it up. Understanding matter helps us make sense of the physical world and how different materials behave. 

What Is Matter?

Matter is anything that has mass and takes up space. This includes everything we can touch, see, smell, or even feel like the wind.

Examples of Matter:

• A chair
  
• Water
  
• Air
  
• Rocks
  
• Your body
  

Even things that seem invisible, like gases, are still made of matter because they take up space and have mass.

States of Matter

Matter exists in different states or phases, depending on its temperature and energy. The three most common states are:

There is also a fourth state called plasma, which is found in things like lightning or stars, but we mainly focus on solids, liquids, and gases in elementary science.

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States of Matter Questions and Answers

The Smallest Parts of Matter: Atoms

All matter is made up of tiny building blocks called atoms. Atoms are so small that we can't see them with our eyes. They are the basic unit of matter.

Each atom is made of even smaller parts called subatomic particles:

The nucleus is the center of the atom, and it holds the protons and neutrons. Electrons move around the nucleus in areas called energy levels or shells.

Molecules and Elements

When atoms come together, they can form molecules. Molecules are combinations of two or more atoms bonded together.

An element is a pure substance made of only one kind of atom. For example:

• Oxygen is made of oxygen atoms.
  
• Gold is made of gold atoms.
  

There are over 100 elements, and they are listed on the Periodic Table of Elements.

Example:

• Water (H₂O) is a molecule made of 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom.
  

Mixtures and Solutions

When different kinds of matter are combined, they form mixtures or solutions.

• A mixture is a combination of substances where each part keeps its own properties.
  
  • Example: Sand and salt mixed together
    
• A solution is a special type of mixture where one substance dissolves in another.
  
  • Example: Sugar dissolved in water
    

Solutions are usually harder to separate than mixtures because the parts blend so well.

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The Ultimate Science Test: Matter

Physical Properties of Matter

Physical properties are characteristics we can observe or measure without changing the substance into something new.

Common Physical Properties:

• Color – red, green, clear
  
• Size – small, large
  
• Shape – square, round
  
• Texture – rough, smooth
  
• Mass – how much matter it has
  
• Volume – how much space it takes up
  
• Density – how tightly packed the matter is
  
• Solubility – ability to dissolve in a liquid
  
• Boiling/Melting Point – the temperature where a substance changes its state
  

These properties help us describe and compare different materials.

Changes in Matter: Physical and Chemical

Matter can change, but not all changes are the same.

1. Physical Changes

• Do not create a new substance.
  
• The matter may look different, but it's still the same thing.
  

Examples:

• Melting ice into water
  
• Cutting paper
  
• Mixing sand and salt
  

2. Chemical Changes

• Create a new substance with different properties.
  
• These changes usually can't be undone easily.
  

Examples:

• Baking a cake
  
• Rust forming on iron
  
• Vinegar and baking soda reacting
  

Mass and Volume

• Mass is the amount of matter in an object. We measure it using a balance and it stays the same no matter where you are (Earth or space).
  
• Volume is how much space matter takes up. Liquids are measured using graduated cylinders or measuring cups.
  

Even if an object is light or heavy, if it takes up space-it has volume.

Density: How Packed Is the Matter?

Density is how tightly packed the matter is in a given space. If two objects have the same size but one is heavier, the heavier one has more density.

Example:

• A rock is more dense than a sponge of the same size.
  
• That's why rocks sink in water and sponges float.
  

Solubility: Can It Dissolve?

Solubility is the ability of a substance to dissolve in water or another liquid.

Substances that dissolve completely are called soluble, while those that don't are insoluble.

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Matter and Their Parts 4th Grade Science Test 2/9

Temperature and States of Matter

Temperature affects how matter behaves and changes its state.

• Melting point: Temperature at which a solid becomes a liquid
  
• Boiling point: Temperature at which a liquid becomes a gas
  
• Condensation: When gas cools down to become a liquid
  
• Freezing point: When a liquid becomes solid
  

Water Example:

The Role of Energy in Matter

Energy causes matter to change state or move. When heat energy is added:

• Solids melt
  
• Liquids boil
  
• Gases expand
  

When heat is removed:

• Gases condense
  
• Liquids freeze
  

Chemical reactions also involve energy-some absorb it, while others release it.

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Science Quiz: Test Your knowledge About Matter!

Conservation of Matter

One of the most important science rules is the Law of Conservation of Matter:

"Matter cannot be created or destroyed. It only changes form."

This means:

• When water evaporates, it becomes vapor-not gone.
  
• In chemical reactions, the mass before and after stays the same.
  

This law helps us understand why the total matter in the universe doesn't change-it just transforms.