Unit 1 - Matter

Atom

The smallest particle of an element that still retains the properties of the element.

Boiling Point

The temperature at which the pressure of the vapor in the liquid is equal to the external pressure acting on the surface of the liquid.

Chemical Change

Change of one substance into a new substance

Chemical Property

Any characteristics of a substance, such as flammability, that indicates whether is can undergo a certain chemical change

Condensation

The conversion of a vapor (gas) to a liquid

Density

Mass per unit volume of material.

Evaporation

The process of turning a liquid into a vapor (gas).

Freezing

The process of turning a liquid into a solid.

Freezing Point

The temperature at which a liquid becomes a solid at normal atmospheric pressure.

Gas

a substance or matter in a state in which it will expand freely to fill the whole of a container, having no fixed shape (unlike a solid) and no fixed volume (unlike a liquid).

Kinetic Energy

Energy a moving object has because of its motion; depends on the mass and speed of the object.

Liquid

a substance that flows freely but is of constant volume, having a consistency like that of water or oil.

Mass

Amount of matter in an object.

Matter

Physical substance that occupies space and contains mass

Melting

The process of turning a solid into a liquid.

Melting Point

The temperature at which a solid begins to liquefy.

Molecular Motion

The movement of constituent particles or molecules in a certain direction.

Particle

A small portion of matter

Phase Change

When matter changes from one state to another (solid, liquid, gas, plasma)

Physical Change

Any change in size, shape, or state of matter in which the identity of the substance remains the same.

Physical Property

Any characteristic or a material, such as size or shape, that you can observe or attempt to observe without changing the identity of the material.

Plasma

Matter consisting of positively and negatively charged particles.

Solid

Firm in stable or shape, not a liquid or fluid.

States of Matter

One of the distinct forms that matter can exist in (solid, Liquid, gas, plasma)

Sublimation

The process of a solid changing directly to a vapor without forming a liquid.

Vaporization

The conversion of a substance from a liquid or a solid to a vapor.

Volume

Amount of space occupied by an object.