Classification of Matter

Classification of Matter

Matter

Anything that:

Has mass

Occupies Space

2 Main Categories

Classification

Definition

Groups

Pure substances

Consist of only one type of particle

Classification	Definition	Examples
Elements	Cannot be broken down into simpler substances	Gold, oxygen
Compounds	Composed of two or more elements chemically combined	Water, sodium chloride

Mixtures

Composed of two or more substances physically combined

Classification	Definition	Examples
Homogenous (solutions)	Uniform composition	Saltwater, air
Colloids	Particles dispersed but not settling	Milk, fog
Suspensions	Particles may settle out	Muddy water

Flowchart

Classification of Matter	Is it uniform throughout?	Can it be separated by physical means?	Can it be decomposed into other substances by chemical process?
Heterogenous Mixture	No	—	—
Homogenous	Yes	—	—
Homogenous mixture	Yes	Yes	—
Pure substance	Yes	No	—
Compound	Yes	No	Yes
Element	Yes	No	No

Physical and Chemical Properties

Property	Definition	Example
Physical Properties	Observed without changing the substance’s identity	Color, melting point, boiling point, density, solubility, electrical conductivity
Chemical Properties	Describe how a substance reacts with other substances	Flammability, acidity, reactivity with oxygen, ability to rust

Extensive and Intensive Properties

Property	Depends on the amount of matter?	Examples
Extensive Properties	Yes	Mass, volume, total charge, energy
Intensive Properties	No	Density, boiling point, melting point, color

Physical and Chemical Changes

Change	Definition	Examples
Physical Change	Changes affecting form, not chemical makeup	Melting ice, breaking glass, dissolving sugar
Chemical Change	Substances are transformed into new substances with different properties	Burning wood, rusting iron, digesting food

Indicators of Chemical Change

Change in proportion

Change in…

Formation of…

Color

Ex. bright copper changes to green when the copper reacts with certain gases in the air

Bubbles

Ex. bubbles of carbon dioxide form when baking soda is added to vinegar

Odor

Ex. when food burns or rots, a change in odor is a sign of chemical change

Precipitate

A precipitate is a solid formed when two liquids react

Change in Energy

Warming or cooling

Thermal energy is either given off or absorbed during a chemical change

Release of light

A firefly gives off light as the result of a chemical change

Flowchart

Properties of matter	Is a property measured or determined by altering the chemical identity of a substance?	Does a property depend upon the amount of substance?
Chemical properties	Yes	—
Physical properties	No	—
Extensive properties	—	Yes
Intensive properties	—	No

Phases of Matter

Phase Change	Melting →	Freezing ←	Evaporation →	Vaporization →	Condensation ←	Deposition ←	Sublimation →
States	Solid ←→ Liquid		Liquid ←→ Gas			Gas ←→ Solid

—	Solid	Liquid	Gas
Intermolecular force	Strong	Weak	Very weak
Intermolecular space	Very less	Large	Very large
Definite shape and volume	Have	Do not have	Do not have
Flow	Cannot	Can from higher level to lower level	Can in all directions
Density	High	Low	Very low
Compressed	Can not be	Can be	Can be easily
Image

Flow chart

Classification	Uniform properties?	Fixed composition?	Chemically decomposable?	Image
Heterogenous mixture	No	—	—
Solution	Yes	No	—
Element	Yes	Yes	No
Compound	Yes	Yes	Yes

Separation Techniques of Mixtures

Separation technique	Definition	Examples
Filtration	Separates solids from liquids	Sand from water
Distillation	Separates based on boiling points	Alcohol from water
Centrifugation	Uses centrifugal force to separate components	Blood components
Decantation	Pouring off a liquid from solid sediment
Chromatography	Separates based on movement through a medium	Ink colors
Magnetism	Removes magnetic material from mixtures	Iron filings from sand
Evaporation	Removes liquid, leaving solids behind	Salt from saltwater

Summary Table

Category	Example	Definition / Details
Element	O₂, Au	Pure, cannot be broken down further
Compound	H₂O, NaCl	Chemically combined elements
Homogenous mixture	Air, saltwater	Uniform composition
Heterogenous mixture	Salad, soil	Non-uniform composition
Physical property	Color, density	Can be observed without changing identity
Chemical property	Flammability	How it reacts with other substances
Physical change	Melting, cutting	No new substance formed
Chemical change	Rusting, burning	New substance with different properties formed
Extensive Property	Mass, volume	Changes with the amount
Intensive Property	Density, boiling point	Independent of the amount
Separation Technique	Filtration	Separates based on particle size or other physical properties