Properties of Matter

matter, solid, liquid, gas, properties of matter

Matter is anything that occupy space and has weight. It is the common difinition that we heard and see about it.


And there are properties of matter, they are the following;

1. Mass, it is the amount of matter in an object and it never changes unless matter is taken out of the object. Mass also has a direct relationship with inertia. Inertia is the resistance of motion of an object. If an object has a greater mass, then it has a greater inertia. Also, you can find mass by measuring it on a triple beam balance.
2. Volume is another general property of matter. Anything that takes up space has volume. In fact, volume is the amount of space an object takes up. You can find a straight-edged object's volume by measuring the Length x Width x Height. For irregular shaped objects, you'd probably want to use a graduated cylinder. Liters and milliliters are used to measure the volume of liquids, while cubic centimeters are used to measure solids.
3. Density is very important because it enables you to compare different objects. For instance, water has a density of 1 gram/cc and wood is 0.8 grams/cc. Therefore, wood will float in water because it's density is less than that of water. The equation for density is Density=Mass/Volume. Also, if you split an object in half, it will still have the exact same density.
4. Weight is the fourth general property of matter. It is defined as the measure of force of attraction between objects due to gravity. Gravity is what keeps you and me on the ground. In fact, gravity exists between you and your computer. You are attracted to it by gravity. You don't feel the attraction because the computer's mass is so small. The earth, on the other hand has a very large mass. That's why you are attracted to the ground. Weight, unlike mass, changes with location. The farther you are from the center of the Earth, the less you weigh. The metric unit for weight is the newton, even though in America the most common unit is the pound.

Another properties of Matter are the following;

1. Malleability- is a physical property of matter, usually metals. This property usually applies to the family groups 1 to 12 on the Modern Periodic Table of Elements. It is the ability of a solid to bend or be hammered into other shapes without breaking. Examples of malleable metals are gold,iron,copper (to a degree) and lead. Malleability is the ability of a metal to be hammered into thin sheets. Gold and silver are highly malleable. When a piece of hot iron is hammered it takes the shape of a sheet, we can also shape it as we want.
2. Elasticity - the tendency of a body to return to its original shape after it has been stretched or compressed; "the waistband had lost its snap"
3. Brittleness- Tendency of a material to fracture or fail upon the application of a relatively small amount of force, impact, or shock. Opposite of toughness.
4. Ductility- is the ability of material, such as steel, to be drawn out into thin wires or flat sheets without pulling apart or breaking. Materials that are extremely ductile can be stretched thin without cracking and losing their strength. This is a desirable quality, especially in metals. Manufacturers want materials that will not break even when thin pieces are required.