UPCAT SCI - CHEM MATTER

Matter

Anything that occupies space and has mass.

Physical Property

A property that can be measured or observed without changing the chemical composition of the matter.

Extensive Property

A physical property that changes depending on the amount of matter being measured (e.g., mass, volume).

Intensive Property

A physical property that remains the same regardless of the amount of matter present (e.g., density, melting point).

Chemical Property

Describes the characteristic ability of a substance to react and transform into new substances (e.g., flammability).

Pure Substance

A form of matter with a fixed, definite composition

Element

A pure substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means.

Compound

A pure substance formed when two or more different elements are chemically combined in fixed proportions.

Mixture

A physical combination of two or more substances where each retains its own distinct identity.

Homogeneous Mixture

A mixture with a completely uniform composition throughout (also called a Solution).

Solvent

The component in a solution present in the greatest amount (the one doing the dissolving).

Solute

The component in a solution present in the smaller amount (the one being dissolved).

Aqueous Solution

A specific type of solution where water acts as the solvent.

Heterogeneous Mixture

A mixture with a non-uniform composition where you can clearly see the different components.

Suspension

A heterogeneous mixture with large particles that will eventually settle to the bottom over time (e.g., sand in water).

Colloid

A mixture with particles small enough (1 to 1000 nm) to remain permanently scattered without settling (e.g., milk).

Tyndall Effect

The phenomenon where a beam of light is scattered when passing through a colloid, making the light beam visible.

Dispersed Phase

The substance in a colloid that is being scattered or dispersed.

Continuous Phase

The medium in a colloid inside which the other substance is being scattered.

Emulsion

A specific type of colloid where a liquid is permanently dispersed inside another liquid (e.g., mayonnaise).

Aerosol

A colloid where either a solid or a liquid is dispersed inside a gas medium (e.g., smoke, fog, mist).

Gel

A colloid where a liquid is trapped and dispersed inside a solid matrix (e.g., butter, cheese).

Sol

A colloid where a solid is dispersed inside a liquid medium (e.g., paint).

Plasma

The 4th state of matter