Matter in Our Surroundings - Vocabulary

Flashcards covering key vocabulary from the lecture notes on 'Matter in Our Surroundings'.

Matter

Anything in the universe that occupies space and has mass.

Mass

The amount of substance or material in an object.

Volume

The amount of space that a substance or object occupies.

Panch Tatva

Ancient Indian philosophers classified matter into five basic elements.

Diffusion

The property of particles of matter getting intermixed on their own.

Kinetic Energy

Energy possessed by particles due to their motion; increases with temperature.

Intermolecular Force of Attraction

The force of attraction between particles that holds them together.

Solid State

The state of matter characterized by definite shape and volume, rigidity, and negligible compressibility.

Liquid State

The state of matter with a definite volume but no fixed shape, capable of flowing.

Gaseous State

The state of matter with neither definite shape nor volume, highly compressible and diffuses rapidly.

Compressibility

The ability of a substance to be reduced in volume by application of pressure.

Melting Point

The temperature at which a solid changes into a liquid at atmospheric pressure.

Fusion

The process of a solid changing into a liquid.

Latent Heat

The heat energy absorbed without any rise in temperature, used to change the state of matter.

Latent Heat of Fusion

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

Boiling Point

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

Latent Heat of Vaporization

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

Sublimation

The change of state directly from solid to gas without becoming a liquid.

Deposition

The change of state directly from gas to solid without becoming a liquid.

Atmosphere (atm)

The unit of measuring pressure exerted by a gas.

Evaporation

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

Humidity

The amount of water vapor present in the air.

Density

The mass per unit volume of a substance.