Matter Properties and Changes Vocabulary.docx

Module Vocabulary

Matter: Property and Changes
Term	Definition
physical property	a characteristic of matter that can be observed or measured without changing the identity of the matter.
mass	the amount of matter in an object.
volume	the amount of space a substance takes up.
density	the mass per unit volume of a substance.
chemical property	a characteristic of matter that can be observed as it changes to a different type of matter.
flammability	the ability of a type of matter to burn easily.
oxidation	occurs when substances react with oxidizing agents, changing it to a new substance.
reactivity	occurs when a substance reacts with another substance, changing it into a new substance.
chemical change	a change in matter in which the substances that make up the matter change into other substances with different chemical and physical properties.
law of conservation of mass	law that states that the total mass of the reactants before a chemical reaction is the same as the total mass of the products after the chemical reaction.
chemical reaction	a process in which atoms of one or more substances rearrange to form one or more new substances.
reactant	a starting substance in a chemical reaction.
product	a substance produced by a chemical reaction.
coefficient	a number placed in front of an element symbol or chemical formula in an equation.
chemical potential energy	the energy released when atoms form bonds.
endothermic reaction	more energy is required to break the bonds of the reactants than is released when products form.
exothermic reaction	more energy is released when the products form than is required to break the bonds in the reactants.
law of conservation of energy	law that states that energy is always transferring, but energy is not created or destroyed.