Particle Nature of Matter
What is Matter?
Matter is anything that
occupies space and has
mass.
What is matter made up off?
• More than 2000 years ago, Democritus
suggested that matter is made up of tiny
particles too small to be seen.
• He thought that if you kept cutting a
substance into smaller and smaller
pieces, you would eventually come to
the smallest possible particles.
• He called these particles atomos.
What is matter made up off?
• John Dalton’s experiments led him to
theorize that “all matter is made up of
individual particles called atoms, which
cannot be divided”.
Particle Model of Matter
There are four main ideas in the particle model of matter:
1. All matter is made up of tiny particles.
2. The particles of matter are always moving.
3. The particles have spaces between them.
4. Adding heat to matter makes the particles move faster.
Particles in Solids
• The particles in solids are held together
strongly. The spaces between the
particles are very small.
• A solid has a fixed shaped and a fixed
volume.
• The particles move back and forth but
remain in fixed positions.
Particles in Liquids
• The particles in liquids are
separated by spaces that are large
enough to allow the particles to slide
past each other.
• A liquid has no fixed shape.
• Liquid particles are held close
together, therefore, a liquid has a
fixed volume.
Particles in Gases
• The particles in gas are separated
by much larger spaces. Gas is
mostly empty space.
• Gases always fill whatever container
they are in, no matter what volume
or shape their container is.
Phases of Matter
Solid
Rigid
Fixed shape
Fixed Volume
Not compressible
High Density
Cannot flow
Liquid
Not rigid
No fixed shape
Fixed Volume
Not compressible
Moderate to high
density
Flows easily
Gas
Not rigid
No fixed shape
No fixed Volume
Highly
compressible
Low density
Flows easily
Phase Change in Matter
Phase Change in Matter
Phase Change in Matter