This Study guide can help your child grasp the main ideas that we are studying in sixth grade science. Please
visit the YouTube links and other links for lessons on the topics that we are studying in class. The students have
been doing much of this in class for the last two weeks. There will be a short test late next week over these
concepts.
Some of the online resources go deeper into some concepts than we are. Therefore, don’t expect that they will
know everything in all of the online resources. The major terms and concepts are listed that will be tested late
next week.
Matter: Atoms, Molecules, Pure Substances and Mixtures, Density
6th Grade Study Guide
Key terms:
Atoms
Protons
Neutrons
Electrons
Molecule (the smallest unit of a compound)
Atomic mass unit
Pure substances
Mixtures
Density
Mass
Volume
Triple beam balance
Graduated cylinder
Concepts and Skills
 Be able to organize the following particles according to size (mass) from smallest to largest: beginning
with smallest they are as follows—electron, neutron and proton, atom, molecule.
 Know that the smallest particle of an element is the atom. Anything smaller than an atom of an element
does not have the characteristic properties of the element.
 Know that atoms bond together to make molecules, so molecules are far larger than single atoms and
molecules have characteristic properties that are different from the atoms that are in them.
 Atoms of any one element represent a pure substance.
 Molecules of only one type represent a pure substance.
 Mixtures are substances of more than one type of element or are substances of more than one type of
element or both.
 Be able to use the periodic table to determine the number of protons, electrons, and neutrons in an atom
of any particular element (using the atomic number for number of protons and the same number for
number of electrons)
 Know the mass of each particle (proton = 1 AMU, neutron = 1 AMU, electron = 1/2000 AMU)
 Be able to represent solids, liquids, gases in terms of particle ability to move around (solids: very dense
where particles cannot move around or change locations, liquids: not as dense as solids where molecules
and atoms can move relatively freely, gases: not dense where particles move rapidly and freely from place
to place)
 Calculate the volume of rectangular prisms: V = L x W x H
 Determine the density of irregular-shape objects of pure substances such as solids or liquids by using the
displacement method in a graduated cylinder
 Calculate density: D = M/V (density equals mass divided by volume)
 Units for density: grams/ cm3 (grams per cubic centimeter)
 SI units for mass: grams
 SI units for volume: cm3
 Mass of: protons, neutrons, electrons
 Electric charge of: protons, neutrons, electrons
Online Resources (These videos are very helpful in understanding the above concepts)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1En9PykvN4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndw9XYA4iF0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCL8zqjXbME
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgLrMKEN4Iw
This video goes deeper in mathematics of converting units that we will in class. Simply learn the basics of
calculating density. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgLrMKEN4Iw (only concern yourself with the
first half of the video.
http://www.auburnschools.org/ajhs/lmcrowe/Week%205/Density%20problems%20without%20answers.
pdf
This video is more comprehensive than the material we are currently studying, but watching this video
will help students better understand matter in all its forms.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukaeyMU2RoM