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4.10Chemistry 01. Materials And Their Structure

Describe the three states of matter as solid, liquid and gas in… — Cambridge Checkpoint Science 0893 Revision Notes & Topical Questions

5 min read 9 parts Lesson 10 of 11 1 quiz

📚 Cambridge Checkpoint Science 0893 Hub / Topical Revision
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Lesson summary

4.10 States of matter and the particle model — CHECKPOINT - Lower Secondary Science 0893 notes: Describe solids, liquids and gases and the changes of state in terms of the arrangement, movement and forces between particles.Matter — everything you can see and feel, sorted into thr…

  • Particle theory
  • Melting point
  • Boiling point
  • Constant temperature
  • Evaporation
  • State of matter

Section 1 of 9Particle theory

Particle theory
Matter
  • Matter everything you can see and feel, sorted into three states.
Particle theory
  • Particle theory all matter is made of tiny particles that are too small to see and are arranged differently in each state.

Section 2 of 9Properties of the states

PropertySolidLiquidGas
ShapeFixedTakes shape of containerFills any container
VolumeFixedFixedChanges
FlowCannot flowCan be pouredFlows
CompressionCannot be compressedCannot be compressedEasily compressed

Section 3 of 9Particle arrangement and movement

StateArrangementMovementForces
SolidFixed regular pattern, tightly packedVibrate on the spotStrong forces
LiquidTouching but irregularSlide past each otherWeaker forces
GasFar apart and randomMove quickly in all directionsNo attractive forces

Section 4 of 9Explaining properties

Solids
  • Solids particles cannot move out of position, so solids keep their shape and cannot flow.
Liquids
  • Liquids particles can move past each other, so liquids flow, but they are close, so the volume cannot be squashed.
Gases
  • Gases particles are far apart and free, so gases have no fixed shape or volume.
  • Squashing a gas moves the particles closer together.
Vacuum
  • Vacuum a space with no particles at all.

Section 5 of 9Changes of state

ChangeFromTo
MeltingSolidLiquid
FreezingLiquidSolid
BoilingLiquidGas
EvaporationLiquidGas below boiling point
CondensationGasLiquid
Melting point
  • Melting point the temperature at which a solid melts.
Boiling point
  • Boiling point the temperature at which a liquid boils, 100 degrees Celsius for water.

Section 6 of 9Explaining changes of state

1
Heating transfers energy to the particles.
2
In a solid the particles vibrate more and the solid expands.
3
At the melting point the particles break free from fixed positions and the solid melts.
4
In a liquid heated further the particles move faster and the liquid evaporates or boils.
5
On cooling, the particles lose energy and attractive forces pull them together again.
  • Constant temperature
    • during melting and boiling the temperature stays the same because the energy breaks the forces.

Section 7 of 9Evaporation compared with boiling

Evaporation
  • Evaporation happens at the surface at any temperature, faster when warmer.
Boiling
  • Boiling happens throughout the liquid at the boiling point.

Section 8 of 9Key terms

TermMeaning
ParticleA tiny portion of matter that is too small to see.
State of matterSolid, liquid or gas.
Melting pointTemperature at which a solid melts.
Boiling pointTemperature at which a liquid boils.
EvaporationChange from liquid to gas at the surface.
CondensationChange from gas to liquid.
VacuumA space with no particles.

Section 9 of 9Exam technique

1
Particles in a solid do not move — they vibrate about fixed positions.
2
Particles themselves expand when heated — the spaces between particles increase.
3
Gas particles are lighter than solid particles — the particles are the same, only arranged differently.
4
Water temperature keeps rising while it boils — the temperature stays constant at the boiling point.

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