Matter in Our Surroundings

Flashcards reviewing the states of matter and their properties.

What is matter?

Anything in the universe that occupies space and has mass; made up of particles.

What are the 'Panch Tatva' according to early Indian philosophers?

Air, earth, fire, sky, and water.

What is the particulate nature of matter?

Matter is made up of particles.

What is the characteristic of particles that allows them to mix with other matter?

The particles of matter have space between them.

What is the state of motion of particles of matter?

The particles of matter are continuously moving.

What is diffusion?

The intermixing of particles of two different types of matter on their own.

What force acts between particles of matter?

The particles of matter attract each other.

What are the three states of matter?

Solid, liquid, and gas.

What are the characteristics of a solid?

Definite shape, distinct boundaries, and fixed volume with negligible compressibility.

What are the characteristics of a liquid?

No fixed shape but have a fixed volume; they take up the shape of the container.

What is the compressibility of gases compared to solids and liquids?

Gases are highly compressible.

Why do gases diffuse faster than solids and liquids?

Gases show the property of diffusing very fast into other gases due to high speed of particles and large space between them.

What is density?

The mass per unit volume of a substance.

How can the state of matter be changed?

The state of matter can be changed by changing the temperature or pressure.

What is melting point?

The minimum temperature at which a solid melts to become a liquid at atmospheric pressure.

What is the latent heat of fusion?

The amount of heat energy required to change 1 kg of a solid into liquid at atmospheric pressure at its melting point.

What is boiling point?

The temperature at which a liquid starts boiling at atmospheric pressure.

What is sublimation?

The change of state directly from solid to gas without changing into liquid state.

What is deposition?

The direct change of gas to solid without changing into liquid.

How can gases be liquefied?

Applying pressure and reducing temperature.

What is evaporation?

The phenomenon of change of liquid into vapours at any temperature below its boiling point.

What are the factors affecting evaporation?

Surface area, temperature, humidity, and wind speed.

How does evaporation cause cooling?

The particles of liquid absorb energy from the surrounding to regain the energy lost during evaporation.

What is latent heat of vaporisation?

The heat energy required to change 1 kg of a liquid to gas at atmospheric pressure at its boiling point.