Matter, Properties, Mixtures, and Separation Techniques

These flashcards review key definitions and concepts related to states of matter, physical and chemical properties, types of substances and mixtures, as well as common laboratory separation techniques.

What is the scientific definition of matter?

Anything that has mass and occupies space.

Name the four common states of matter discussed in class.

Solid, liquid, gas, and plasma.

What characterizes a solid in terms of shape and volume?

It has a definite shape and a definite volume due to strong intermolecular forces.

How does a liquid differ from a solid in shape and volume?

A liquid has a fixed volume but takes the shape of its container because the intermolecular forces are weaker than in a solid.

What is unique about the shape and volume of a gas?

A gas has neither fixed shape nor fixed volume; it expands to fill its container due to negligible intermolecular forces.

Why is plasma considered distinct from the other states of matter?

Plasma is an ionized gas that conducts electricity and responds to magnetic fields.

What is a physical property of matter?

A trait that can be observed or measured without changing the substance’s chemical identity.

What is an intensive property?

A property that does not depend on the amount of matter present, such as density or color.

What is an extensive property?

A property that depends on the quantity of matter, such as mass or volume.

How is a chemical property defined?

A characteristic that becomes evident when a substance undergoes a chemical change.

What does reactivity describe in chemistry?

The ability of a substance to chemically interact with other substances.

Which property describes a substance’s tendency to combust?

Flammability.

What does toxicity measure?

The potential harm a substance can cause to living organisms.

What does acidity refer to in chemical terms?

The ability of a substance to interact with or donate protons to acids.

What qualifies a material as a pure substance?

It is made of only one type of particle with a fixed structure.

How is an element defined?

A pure substance consisting of only one kind of atom, identified by its atomic number.

What is a compound?

A pure substance composed of two or more different atoms chemically combined in a fixed ratio.

Define a mixture in chemistry.

A combination of two or more substances that can be separated by physical means.

What distinguishes a homogeneous mixture?

It has only one visible phase and its components are not distinguishable.

What distinguishes a heterogeneous mixture?

It contains visibly distinct parts that are easily distinguishable.

In simple terms, what is valency?

The combining capacity of an element.

What is a polyatomic ion?

A group of covalently bonded atoms that act as a single charged unit.

What does a chemical formula represent?

The symbolic representation of a compound’s elemental composition.

What separation method involves manually sorting materials?

Handpicking.

Which traditional technique separates grain from stalks by beating?

Threshing.

How does sieving separate substances?

By passing a mixture through a sieve to separate particles based on size.

What does evaporation achieve in separation processes?

It removes a solvent by heating, leaving the dissolved solid behind.

How does distillation separate liquids?

By vaporizing a liquid and then condensing the vapor to separate components based on boiling points.

What is filtration used for?

Separating solids from liquids using a porous barrier such as filter paper.

Describe sedimentation as a separation method.

Allowing denser particles in a liquid mixture to settle at the bottom over time.

When is funneling commonly used in separation?

For separating immiscible liquids or guiding liquids into containers.

How does magnetic separation work?

It uses magnets to remove magnetic materials from a mixture.