earth and space science

study guide for quiz

matter

anything that takes up space and has mass, including solids, liquids, and gases.

solid

a state of matter characterized by structural rigidity and resistance to changes in shape or volume.

gas

a state of matter that expands to occupy the volume and shape of its container, consisting of widely spaced particles that move freely.

liquid

a state of matter that has a definite volume but no fixed shape, taking the shape of its container while maintaining a consistent volume.

plasma

a state of matter consisting of ionized gases with free-moving charged particles, capable of conducting electricity and affected by magnetic fields.

mass

the amount of matter in an object, typically measured in kilograms. It is a scalar quantity that does not change regardless of an object's location in the universe.

grams

a unit of mass in the metric system, equal to one-thousandth of a kilogram.

volume

the amount of space an object occupies, commonly measured in cubic meters or liters.

milliliters

a unit of volume equal to one-thousandth of a liter, commonly used for measuring liquids.

cubic centimeters

a unit of volume that is equal to one milliliter, often used to measure small quantities of liquid.

density

a property of matter defined as mass per unit volume, typically expressed in kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³) or grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm³).

atoms/element

the basic units of matter that make up elements, consisting of a nucleus surrounded by electrons.

atomic number

the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, which determines the element's identity and is unique to each element.

proton

a positively charged subatomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom, contributing to its mass and atomic number.

neutron

a subatomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom, it has no charge and contributes to the mass of the atom.

atomic mass

the weighted average mass of an atom's isotopes, measured in atomic mass units (amu), reflecting both protons and neutrons in the nucleus.

electron

a negatively charged subatomic particle that orbits the nucleus of an atom, significantly influencing chemical reactions and bonding.

compound

a substance formed when two or more elements chemically bond, resulting in properties different from those of the individual elements.

molecule

a group of two or more atoms bonded together, representing the smallest unit of a compound that retains its chemical properties.

isotope

a variant of an element that has the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons, resulting in different atomic masses.