Unit: Structure and Properties of Matter
Chemistry
Can you list three examples of matter?
Chemistry affects just about everything around
us. Scientists use chemical knowledge to change,
improve, or invent such things as foods,
medicines, and materials of all kinds. They also
use chemistry to understand the world of living
things around us and how the universe itself
functions. Knowing the properties of elements
and compounds is a major goal of scientists
working in the field of chemistry.
What is matter?
Matter is anything that has a mass and
takes up space. All of “stuff” around you
is matter and it cannot be created or
destroyed.
Examples: desk, chair, door, bike,
basketball, dog, paper, pencil, shoes,
etc.
Properties of Matter
(Characteristics of Matter)
Every form of matter has two kinds of properties- physical and chemical properties.
Physical Properties
• Characteristics can be observed
without changing it into another
substance.
• Ex: H2O freezes at 0 degrees Celsius
Liquid  solid but it’s the same substance!
• Other physical properties:
hardness, texture, color, and
whether or not a substance
dissolves in water
• Can be used to classify matter
Chemical Properties
• Characteristic of a pure substance
that describes its ability to change
into different substances.
• Ex: Iron will combine slowly with
oxygen in air to form a different
substance  rust
• Ex: Bakers add yeast to bread dough to
produce gas, which causes bread to rise
• Ex: Silver will react with sulfur in the air
to form tarnish.
Elements
Atoms
(Particles of Elements)
• Pure substance that cannot be broken
down, chemically or physically, into any
other substance
• Elements are the simplest substance
• Can be identified by its specific physical and
chemical properties
• Ex: Aluminum  foil
• Ex: Zinc (with a copper coating) 
pennies
• Ex: Oxygen and nitrogen  you inhale
these elements from the atmosphere
• Can be found on the periodic table
• The basic particle from which all elements
are made
• Atoms allow elements to be unique
• Atoms have a different number of
protons, neutrons, and electrons
• Protons  positively charged
• Neutrons  neutral/ no charge
• Electrons  negatively charged
Atoms can combine with other atoms
• Chemical bond
Often they combine to make larger particles
• Molecules
MATTER IS WHAT THE UNIVERSE IS MADE OF
WHAT MAKES UP MATTER?
elements!
ELEMENTS ARE MADE OF A BASIC PARTICLE…
atoms!
ATOMS ARE MADE OF EVEN SMALLER
PARTICLES…
protons, neutrons, electrons