U5a Matter SG- 2026

What is the primary characteristic of a physical property?

It is an observation or measurement that does not change the chemical nature of the matter.

How are chemical properties defined?

They describe the ability or inability of a substance to undergo a change that alters its chemical composition.

Which type of property is density classified as?

Physical property.

Reactivity is classified as a _____ property.

Chemical

Why is the boiling point of a substance considered a physical property?

It identifies a temperature where a phase change occurs without creating a new substance.

Categorize 'combustibility' is a ————- property.

Chemical property.

Categorize 'pH' and 'toxicity' are ————- properties.

Chemical properties.

Categorize 'melting point', 'hardness', and 'color' are ———— properties.

Physical properties.

Describe the shape and volume characteristics of a solid.

It has a definite shape and a definite volume.

How do the particles in a solid move?

They vibrate in a fixed position.

Describe the shape and volume characteristics of a liquid.

It has a definite volume but no definite shape.

How do the particles in a liquid move relative to one another?

They slide past each other.

What is a defining physical characteristic of a gas regarding compressibility?

It is highly compressible because its particles are spread far apart.

How does the volume of a gas compare to the container it is in?

A gas has no definite volume and expands to fill its container.

What happens to the density of a pure substance if the amount of the sample increases?

The density remains the same regardless of the amount of the substance.

If a rock sinks in a small graduated cylinder, why does it also sink in a large lake?

The density of the rock remains greater than the density of water regardless of the water's volume.

Grinding a sugar cube into a fine powder is an example of a _____ change.

Physical

Why is heating sugar until it turns brown and bubbles considered a chemical change?

The heat causes a reaction that forms a new substance with different properties.

Distillation separates a salt and water solution based on what physical property?

Boiling points.

During distillation, what happens to the water after it evaporates as vapor?

It enters a condenser where it cools and turns back into a liquid.

In a mixture of iron filings and sulfur powder, which tool can physically separate the iron?

A magnet.

How does the magnetism of iron change when it reacts with sulfur to form the compound iron sulfide?

The new compound, iron sulfide, is no longer magnetic.

State the Law of Conservation of Matter.

Matter cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction; it only changes forms.

According to the Law of Conservation of Mass, how does the mass of the reactants compare to the mass of the products?

The mass of the reactants equals the mass of the products.

In a chemical reaction, what happens to the total number of atoms of each element?

The total number of atoms remains the same before and after the reaction.

If a chemical reaction takes place in an open baggie and the final mass is lower, what is the most likely cause?

Gas produced during the reaction escaped before the baggie was sealed.

In the reaction Mg + 2HCl —> MgCl2 + H2, how many atoms of Chlorine Cl are on each side of the equation?

Two.

Energy associated with an object's motion is called _____ energy.

Kinetic

Energy stored due to an object's position or height is called _____ energy.

Potential

On a roller coaster, at which point is the potential energy typically the highest?

The highest point of the first hill.

As a roller coaster car moves from the top of a hill to the bottom, how does the energy transform?

Potential energy is converted into kinetic energy.

How can the total mechanical energy of a roller coaster system be increased?

By increasing the starting height of the coaster.

At what point in a pendulum's swing is its kinetic energy at its maximum?

The lowest point of the swing (the center).

In a pendulum system, where do the energy conversions between kinetic and potential energy take place?

At all points along the arc of the swing.

What is the primary difference between mechanical waves and electromagnetic waves regarding their travel?

Mechanical waves require a medium to travel through, while electromagnetic waves can travel through a vacuum.

Sound is classified as a _____ wave.

Mechanical (or longitudinal/compression)

Light is classified as an _____ wave.

Electromagnetic (or transverse)

Through which state of matter does sound travel the fastest?

Solids.

Why does sound travel faster in solids than in gases?

Tightly-packed molecules in solids vibrate and transfer energy more quickly than loosely-packed gas molecules.

Which form of solar radiation has a longer wavelength than visible light?

Infrared light.

What is the term for the rainbow of colors produced when white light is refracted through a prism?

Visible spectrum.

How do Gamma rays compare to Radio waves in terms of wavelength?

Gamma rays have much shorter wavelengths than Radio waves.

Why is sound unable to travel through the vacuum of outer space?

Sound waves require a physical medium to transmit vibrations.

What wave behavior causes an image to appear larger when viewed through a magnifying glass?

Refraction.

How does the shape of a lens in a magnifying glass affect light to enlarge an image?

The curve of the lens causes the light rays to refract (bend).

How does a compound microscope enable the viewing of microscopic organisms?

By stacking lenses that progressively refract light to magnify the image.

Why does wearing a black shirt on a sunny day make a person feel warmer than wearing a white shirt?

The black shirt absorbs most of the light energy, while a white shirt reflects it.

In a wave diagram, the distance between two consecutive crests is called the _____.

Wavelength

Identify the property: The temperature at which a solid becomes a liquid.

Melting point.

Identify the property: The measure of how much mass is contained in a given volume.

Density.

According to the Law of Conservation of Matter, if you start with 10g of reactants in a closed system, what is the mass of the products?

10 grams.