MATTER STUDY GUIDE
ANSWER KEY
1. Draw an atom and label the protons, neutrons, nucleus, and electrons.
Key:
Proton
Neutron
Electron
2. Draw an atom for the element below. label the protons, neutrons, nucleus, and electrons.
Key:
Proton
Neutron
Electron
3. What are the charges?
Proton- positive
Neutron- no charge
Electron- negative
4. Draw the particles of a solid and explain how they
move in your own words.
Particles are tightly packed together and DO NOT move
past each other. They vibrate in place.
5. Draw the particles of a liquid and explain how they
move in your own words.
Particles are still packed together and they SLIDE move
past each other.
6. Draw the particles of a gas and explain how they move in your own words
Particles are not tightly packed together, and have so much energy they slip past each other
quickly.
7. Draw the particles of plasma and explain how they move in your own words
Particles are moving so quickly it is hard to see what they are actually doing.
8. How does the arrangement and movement of the molecules determine the state of matter of
an object?
A solid does not change shape or volume because the molecules are so tightly packed they can
only vibrate. A liquid can change shape because the molecules are able to slip and slide around
and past each other to fill a container, but since they are still touching they cannot change
volume. Gases are constantly changing shape and volume because the molecules spread out
and are moving so fast and bounce off the sides of the container.
9. Give two characteristics or properties of each state of matter:
Solid
· Shape does not change
Gas
·
Shape changes
·
·
Volume does not change
Volume changes
Liquid
·
Shape changes
Plasma
·
Shape changes
·
·
Volume does not change
Volume changes
WORD BANK
Element
Nucleus
Properties
Atoms
Positive
Protons
Negative
Electrons
Mass
10. Use the word bank above to complete the paragraph below.
Matter is anything that has mass and takes up space. An element is matter that cannot be
broken down into anything simpler by a chemical reaction and is shown on the periodic table. If you kept
trying to divide an element into smaller and smaller pieces eventually you would come to a piece of that
element that cannot be divided further. These smallest indivisible pieces are called atoms. An atom is the
smallest unit of an element that keeps the properties of the element. All atoms of every element are
composed of smaller particles. The center of each atom, called the nucleus, contains protons and
neutrons. Moving around the atom on the outside of the nucleus there are electrons. Protons have a
positive charge whereas electrons have a negative charge. Neutrons have no charge at all.
11. Tell whether the following words relate to heating or cooling.
Melting- heat
Freezing- cool
Condensation- cool
Evaporation- heat
Sublimation- heat
Deposition- cool
12. List an example of each change in state and explain how you know what change in state it is.
a. Melting: the ice in my drink has disappeared (solid to gas)
b. Condensation: My bathroom mirror has fogged up after a shower (gas to liquid)
c. Evaporation/Vaporization: The puddles have dried up after a rain (liquid to gas)
d. Freezing: My dog’s pool is solid ice (liquid to solid)
e. Sublimation: The dry ice block looks like smoke is coming off of it. (solid to gas)
f. Deposition: The window of my car has ice on it in winter, even though it has not rained or
snowed. (gas to solid)
13. Label the Arrows with the following
words:
Melting A
Freezing B
Condensation D
Evaporation E
Sublimation C
Deposition from gas to solid
14. Explain how a solid changes to a liquid. How do the atoms move? What do you need to add? What is
it called?
To change a solid to a liquid you must add heat. In solids, the atoms stay in place and vibrate. When you
add heat the atoms speed up until they start slipping and sliding. This is called melting
15. Explain how a liquid changes to a gas. How do the atoms move? What do you need to add? What is
it called?
To change a liquid to a gas you must add heat. In liquids, the atoms are close together but slip past each
other. When you add heat the atoms speed up until they break away from each other and expand. This is
called evaporation.
16. Explain how a liquid changes to a solid. How do the atoms move? What do you need to take away?
What is it called?
To change a liquid to a solid, you must remove heat. The atoms in a liquid are slipping past each other.
When you take away heat, the atoms slow down until they freeze in place and vibrate. This is called
freezing.
17. Explain how a gas changes to a liquid. How do the atoms move? What do you need to take away?
What is it called?
To change a gas to a liquid, you must remove heat. The atoms in a gas are constantly moving fast and
expanding. When you remove heat they slow down until they start slipping and sliding past each other.
This is called condensation.
18. Explain how a solid changes to a gas. How do the atoms move? What do you need to add? What is it
called?
When a solid changes to to a gas it is called sublimation. This happens when you add heat and the
particles have so much energy they skip the liquid phase and start bouncing around and moving fast.
19. Explain how a gas changes to a solid. How do the atoms move? What do you need to take away?
What is it called?
When a gas changes to a solid this is called deposition. Deposition happens when you remove a lot of
heat and the particles lose energy quickly and go from bouncing around to tightly packed and vibrating.