Composition of Matter

NOTE: Because this "cluster" of standards is so big and covers such a wide variety of topics, the topics are broken up into separate pages. Each one has a link to "click HERE" for more detail on that topic within this standard.

TYPES OF MATTER

Element - specific type of atom, most basic form of matter

Compound - two or more elements chemically combined (bonded) in a specific ratio

Mixture - consists of multiple elements or compounds together in the same place but NOT chemically combined

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STATES OF MATTER

Solid - particles packed closely together, vibrating in place (Definite Shape, Definite Volume)

Liquid - particles less tightly-packed, flowing freely (Indefinite Shape, Definite Volume)

Gas - particles are very energetic, moving fast and far apart (Indefinite Shape, Indefinite Volume)

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ATOMS

Atom - smallest individual particle of a substance, made of protons, neutrons, and electrons

Protons - positively-charged sub-atomic particles residing in the nucleus of an atom

Neutrons - neutral (no charge) sub-atomic particles residing in the nucleus of an atom

Electrons - tiny negative sub-atomic particles that orbit the nucleus in the electron cloud

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ELEMENTS

Element - specific type of atom, determined by the number of protons in the nucleus

Atomic Number - refers to the number of protons in the nucleus

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THE PERIODIC TABLE

The Periodic Table is a tool that scientists use to classify the elements in order to understand their characteristics and make predictions about their interactions.

Periods - horizontal rows of elements on the table

Groups - vertical columns of elements on the periodic table

Elements are organized on the table based on their atomic number (number of protons) horizontally and their number of valence electrons (electrons farthest from the nucleus) vertically. Elements in each group share similar characteristics, meaning that based on an elements location you can predict its properties and interactions with other elements.

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ACIDS, BASES, AND SALTS

Acidity is a chemical property of a substance. It is measured using the pH scale, which is based on the ratio of hydrogen-based ions produced when the substance is in solution with water.

Acid - substance that produces more hydronium (H3O+) ions in solution

Base - substance that produces more hydroxide (OH-) ions in solution

pH scale - measures the ratio of ions produced in solution.

Acids have a pH between 0 and 7, while bases have a pH between 7 and 14. Substances with a pH of 7 are considered "neutral"

Salt - product of a "neutralization reaction" between an acid and a base

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