REMEMBER:
Exam #1
Friday, February 25
in Individual Classrooms
Topic 5
Early Ideas About Matter
Dr. George Lapennas
Department of Biology
Outline
1. Contrast study of motion with study of matter
2. What ideas make up modern view of matter?
3. What types of matter were ancient people aware of?
4. What were Greek philosophers’ ideas about matter?
5. What were some significant later chapters in the study
of matter?
1. How do study of motion and
study of matter compare?
• Newton’s theory of universal gravitation
– A major triumph of early science
– Gravity: a universal property of all matter
– Strength of attraction a simple function of
mass, regardless of material
1. How do study of motion and
study of matter compare?
• Newton’s theory of universal gravitation
– A major triumph of early science
– Gravity: a universal property of all matter
– Strength of attraction a simple function of mass,
regardless of material
• What about properties that distinguish the many
different types of matter?
2. What ideas make up our
modern view of matter?
One Classification of Matter: Phases
• Bottle A:
GAS
• Bottle B:
LIQUID
• Bottle C:
SOLID
Another Classification Scheme for
Matter
MATTER
Pure Substances
Elements
Compounds
Mixtures
Homogeneous
Mixtures
Heterogeneous
Mixtures
“The Basics”:
How Do We Understand Matter
Today?
• Everything is made of atoms.
• Atoms are made of protons (p+), neutrons (n), and
electrons (e-).
• Atoms come in ~ 100 different kinds = elements
• Each element has a characteristic number of
protons and electrons.
• Atoms share electrons to form molecules.
• Chemical reactions rearrange atoms in molecules.
Atoms are Made of Protons, Neutrons, and
Electrons.
An atom is
really, really,
really small!
Trillions in
speck of dust!
Atoms are not all the same.
- Each element has
a different and
unique number
of protons
(“atomic #”)
-
# of protons =
# of electrons
- # of neutrons
varies between
different
isotopes of an
element
Atoms have their electrons
arranged in orbit-like “shells”
Atoms share electrons, filling outer
shells and forming bonds and
molecules
Atoms combine to form molecules
• Molecule = two or more atoms bonded together
• Most molecules contain atoms of more than one
element (“compounds”), but not necessary (can be 2
or more atoms of the same element)
• Chemical formula tells how many atoms of each
element are in the molecule:
–
–
–
–
Water is H2O
Ammonia is NH3
Oxygen is O2
Glucose is C6H12O6
What determines the “chemical”
(combining/reacting) properties of
each element?
• # of protons = # of electrons
• Atoms tend to share electrons so as to fill their
outer electron shells
• Greater number of empty spaces in outer electron
shell  more bonds can be made
• “Families” of elements have similar outer electron
shells and similar bonding properties
Chemical reactions
rearrange bonding of atoms
• Total number of atoms does not change
– Products have same atoms as Reactants (conservation
of atoms)
• Only bonding arrangement of atoms changes.
• Methane + oxygen  carbon dioxide + water
CH4
+ 2 O2

CO2
+ 2 H2O
1 Carbon, 4 Hydrogen, 4 Oxygen, before and after
3. What Types of Matter Were
Ancient People Aware of?
Stone
(hard,
brittle)
• Limestone
• Marble
• Sandstone
• Shale
• Granite
• Soapstone
Metal
(shiny,
malleable)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Copper
Silver
Gold
Tin
Iron
Lead
Zinc
Metal (shiny,
malleable)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Copper
Silver
Gold
Tin
Iron
Lead
Zinc
Metal (shiny,
malleable)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Copper
Silver
Gold
Tin
Iron
Lead
Zinc
Metal (shiny,
malleable)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Copper
Silver
Gold
Tin
Iron
Lead
Zinc
Where do metals come from?
• A few metals occur naturally in metallic form Copper, silver and gold deposits found in ancient
times
Found copper nuggets
Where do metals come from?
• Most metals occur in ores
– Ores are more like earths (dull, brittle) than
like metals
Iron ore
Lead ore
Winning metals from their ores
– Ores must be processed to yield pure metals
– Only a small percentage of metal yielded
copper ore; modern man’s
inept attempt at smelting
Alloys
• Combination of metals
• Better properties
– Lower melting point
– Stronger, less brittle
• Example: Bronze
– Alloy of copper and tin
Metal working in cultural eras
• Stone age
– Stone tool manufacture, no use of metals
• Pre-Copper Age: found gold/silver/copper only
• Copper Age (4500 BC): first metal smelted
• Bronze Age (3500 BC): strong copper/tin alloy
– can be sharpened, easily worked (shaped)
– copper and tin deposits only in certain places
• Iron Age (1500 BC on):
–
–
–
–
Can be sharpened; hard and tough
Difficult to work
Iron ore is found all over the Earth
Extremely hard to win from ore (requires very hot
furnace, special techniques)
Metal working in cultural eras
Earths (not
shiny;
brittle
•
•
•
•
•
•
Clay
Mud
Sand
Silt
Loam
Ash
Pottery
• Fired clay
– from 6500 BC?
• Certain clays used
– at certain temperature
– for certain times
• Patterned, pigmented
Glass
•
•
•
•
•
Melted sand
Certain sands used
High temperatures
Blown, molded
Earths, metals added 
color, strength
Ancient Roman glass jug
Glass
Woods
•
•
•
•
•
•
Oak
Maple
Cedar
Mahogany
Ebony
Yew
Fibers
•
•
•
•
•
•
Grass
Cotton
Flax
Straw
Bulrushes
Hair
Papyrus
Ivory, bone and horn
A bone tool
Other crafts practiced since early
times
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pigments
Dyes
Perfumes
Fermenting drinks
Tanning
Cooking
Summary: What types of matter
were ancient people aware of?
• Ancient peoples distinguished many
different materials.
• Craftsmen and artisans had developed many
materials technologies.
• These technologies were applied knowingly
to specific materials for specific purposes.
4. What were ancient Greek
philosophers’ ideas about matter?
- One fundamental substance?
(If so, what?)
- More than one (e.g., four)?
- Fill space (no “void”)?
- Small particles moving in
void (“atoms”)?
Nature of matter: One basic substance
1. Thales
(640–546 BC)
• Basic element
is water.
• In greatest
quantities
• Found as solid,
liquid, and gas
Nature of matter: One basic substance
2. Anaximander
All matter from one
“boundless
something” that
contained all
qualities (wet/dry;
hot/cold)
Nature of matter: One basic substance
3. Anaximenes
(570 BC)
- Air is the one
basic substance
- All space
above Earth is
air.
-Compress air to
form denser
water and earth
Nature of matter: One basic substance
4. Heraclitus
(540-475 BC)
• Change is a
fundamental
characteristic
• Basic
element
must be
changeable
• Fire is that
element.
Empedocles / Aristotle
(490 – 430 BC) (384-322 BC)
Four
elements:
Fire
Air
Water
Earth
Four Elements Theory
(Empedocles/Aristotle)
Each
element has
certain
amounts of
the qualities
Wet/Dry
and
Hot/Cold
Each different kind of matter is a combination
of two or more elements in particular
proportions, for example …
Wood reveals its composition when it
burns:
• fire issues from it
• water oozes from it/hisses
• air (smoke) is produced from it
• earth (ashes) remain behind
Transmutations
• Alter proportions of qualities =
change one element into another.
Examples:
Add more heat to water  air when it
evaporates
Idea carries over into alchemy:
Transmute a cheap metal into gold by
adjusting proportions of the four elements
Different approach: Ancient “atomist”
philosophers
Leucippus and Democritus (~400 BC)
One fundamental material – same in all matter
Small, indivisible particles (“atoms”)
Many different sizes and shapes give different
properties to matter
Atoms move in empty space (“void”)
OR
Clump together
Atoms, then and now…
What were the most significant later
chapters in the study of matter?
• Alchemy
• Scientific
Revolution
• Chemical
Revolution
Alchemy (“the hidden art”)
Alchemy
• Greek-influenced alchemy
• Eastern/Chinese Alchemy
• Arab/Islamic alchemy
• Arab traditions passed to medieval
Europeans
• Paracelsus
• Iatrochemists
Greek-influenced Alchemy
(300 BC – 650 AD)
Two branches:
• Esoteric: religious/astrological, attempt to
understand god/gods and find salvation.
• Exoteric: worldly/magical, wealth-focused
- Related to Four Elements/Qualities:
search for the “Philosopher’s Stone” to
transmute base metals into gold
- Sulfur and mercury were magical
Eastern/Chinese Alchemy
• Independent of (and prior to?) Western alchemy
• Chinese believed there were five elements:
Fire, Water, Three Solids (Earth, Wood, Metal)
• Search for the “elixir of life,” a potion for eternal life
• Gold is eternal and healing, lead to medical alchemy:
soluble “potable gold” is the elixir of life (400 BC)
Arab/Islamic Alchemy
(approx. 700-1200 AD)
• Used “al-iksurs” (colored “seed”
catalysts) in transmutation attempts.
• Stressed techniques to
isolate/identify/purify
• Noted alchemists/scientists: al-Kindi,
al-Razi, Jabir (Geber), ibn-Sina
(Avicenna)
Ibn-Sina,
Avicenna
(980-1037 AD)
Islamic physician, poet,
scientist, philosopher
Avicenna
• Greatest physician of his time (980-1037 AD)
• Believed in four elements, but not transmutation
• Contributions:
- studied dosages and effects of drugs
- had idea that chemicals maintain their
identities even when combined
Franciscan medicine
• Roger Bacon (1267)
- medical alchemist
- distillates used as
medicine to fight
body corruption.
• John of Rupescissa (1320)
- alcohol contains “quintessence” for elixir of life
- Chinese-influenced use of “potable gold”
- followers distilled to get purer chemicals
and thus found new substances.
Paracelsus
(Theophrastus
von Hohenheim)
(1493-1541)
Swiss physician,
mystic, alchemist
Paracelsus
(Theophrastus von Hohenheim)
• Alchemy = study of the cosmos
- he chose medicines on basis of
astrological connections
• Founded science of iatrochemistry
- use of inorganic medicines
rather than herbal ones
Paracelsus’ idea of elements and
principles
• Three Elements (Fire, Air, Water) and
Three Principles of Earth (sulfur,
mercury, and salt)
• Wood burning: “That which burns is
sulfur, that which vaporizes is mercury,
and that which turns to ashes is salt.”
Lasting Contributions of Alchemy
•
•
•
•
Laboratory equipment
Chemical techniques
New chemical reactions
New substances
The Scientific Revolution
- Copernicus …… Newton
- a new way to study the natural
world
- Better explanations for earthly
and heavenly motion
The Chemical Revolution:
Applying the scientific method to
study different kinds of matter
- Black …… Lavoisier
- Key chemists of the 1700’s studied
different kinds of “airs” (Black,
Cavendish, Priestly, Lavoisier)
- Redefinition of “element”
- Conservation of atoms
REMEMBER:
Exam #1
Friday, February 25
in Individual Classrooms