Lesson 3: What Are the Properties of
Some Common Substances?

The state of matter that does not have a
definite shape or volume.

The state of matter that has a definite volume
but no definite shape

The state of matter that has a definite shape
and a definite volume



Air is a mixture of
gases. It does not
have a formula.
78% of the air is
nitrogen (N2).
21% of the air is
oxygen (O2). All
animals need oxygen.

A harmful form of oxygen is
ozone (O3). It is found in
Earth’s upper atmosphere
where it absorbs some of
the harmful energy from
the sun and helps keep
Earth at a constant
temperature.

Hydrogen is not
found in the air, but
it is the most
common element in
the universe. It
combines with
other elements to
form hundreds of
thousands of
compounds.

Noble gases:
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦

helium (He)
neon (Ne)
argon (Ar),
krypton (Kr)
xenon (Xe)
When added with
electricity, each
noble gas glows a
different color.

Two common gases
that created from
carbon are:
◦ carbon dioxide (CO2)
◦ methane (CH4)






Water is the most common
liquid on the planet.
It has a definite volume,
but no definite shape.
Oceans cover 70% of Earth
and make up 97% of all the
water on Earth.
2% of Earth’s water is
frozen in glaciers and ice
caps.
Humans and animals can
use 1% of Earth’s water,
which is found in lakes,
rivers, and groundwater.
Three states of water:
liquid water, ice, and water
vapor.



Mercury stays liquid at
a colder temperature
than water.
It expands and
contracts the same
amount with every
degree its temperature
changes.
Early thermometers
contained mercury, but
it is not used anymore
because mercury is
poisonous.



Carbon is the sixth most
common element in the
universe. It is a solid, so it
has a definite shape and
volume.
There are millions of
compounds that contain
carbon, including coal,
petroleum, natural gas,
and sugar.
The reason why carbon is
present in so many
compounds is because one
carbon atom can combine
with four other atoms at
once.



Carbon is the building
block for all molecules of
life on Earth.
98.8% of the human body
is composed of only 6
elements – oxygen, carbon,
hydrogen, nitrogen,
calcium, and phosphorus.
One of the most complex
molecules in your body is
DNA. It is found in the
nucleus of each cell and is a
huge molecule that looks
like a twisted ladder. DNA
contains only five elements
– carbon, hydrogen,
oxygen, nitrogen, and
phosphorus.
Carbon Cycle Cartoon (4:37)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3SZKJVKR
xQ
 Bill Nye Genes DNA (1:07)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9BZ3zx8b
8I&feature=related
