JAMNABAI NARSEE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

CLASS-9 MYP CHEMISTRY UNIT : MATTER &SEPARATION TECHNIQUES

Matter Definition
Matter can be defined as the material substance that constitutes the observable universe.
Matter, along with energy, is known to form the basis of all objective phenomena. In the
fields of classical physics and general chemistry, the term matter is used to denote any
material that has mass and takes up space by having volume.
Everything that takes up space and has mass is matter, which is the “stuff” that makes up
the cosmos. Atoms, which are made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons, are the building
blocks of all matter. Chemical energy is a type of potential energy that holds atoms and
molecules together. Matter is defined as everything that has mass and volume (takes up
space). It is pretty straightforward to illustrate that most everyday items that we deal with
on a daily basis have mass and take up space.
Ultimately, all ordinary objects that can be touched are composed of atoms that are made
up of interacting subatomic particles, and the term ‘matter’ normally involves atoms and
everything made up of them in ordinary as well as a scientific use. Also, any particles (or a
mixture of particles) that behave as though they have both residual mass and volume.
Massless particles, such as photons, or other energy phenomena or waves, such as light or
sound, cannot be referred to as matter.

States of Matter
The condition of the matter is one of the distinct forms that the various phases of the
matter take. Four states of matter can be found in daily life: solid, liquid, gas, and plasma.
Many other states, such as Bose – Einstein condensate and neutron degenerate matter, are
considered to occur only in extreme conditions such as ultra-cold or ultra-dense matter.
Other states, such as quark – gluon plasmas, are thought to be possible but remain
theoretical for the time being.
The states within the device are in a gaseous, liquid or solid state. Solids are distinguished by
a tight atomic bond and a high viscosity, resulting in a rigid form. Most solids are crystalline,
in as much as they have a three-dimensional periodic atomic structure; certain solids (such
as glass) lack this periodic arrangement and are non-crystalline or amorphous.
The particles (ions, atoms or molecules) are tightly packed together in the solid. The forces
between the particles are intense in such a way that the particles can not move freely but
can only vibrate. As a result, the solid has a stable, definite shape and a certain volume.
Solids can only change their shape by force, as if they were broken or cut.

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 Three States of Matter – Solid, Liquid and Gas
A liquid is an almost incompressible fluid that conforms to the shape of its container but
retains a (nearly) constant volume independent of the pressure. Volume is defined if
temperature and pressure are constant. As the solid is heated past its melting point, it
becomes liquid as the pressure becomes greater than the triple point of the material.
Within a gas, the molecules have enough kinetic energy such that the impact of the
intermolecular forces is small (or zero for the ideal gas) and the normal distance between
the adjacent molecules is much greater than the molecular size. The gas has no definite
shape or volume, but it occupies the entire container in which it is confined.

Three States of Matter with Examples

There are three states of matter and below are the description of various states of matter:

1. Solids

• The solid state is one of the fundamental states of matter.

• Solids differ from liquids and gases by the characteristic of rigidity.
• The molecules of solids are tightly packed because of strong intermolecular forces;
they only oscillate about their mean positions.
• Whereas, liquids and gases possess the property of fluidity and can easily flow.
• Solids can be defined as the state of matter which has definite shape and volume
and has a rigid structure.
• Solids possess the least compressibility and thermal expansion.
Example: Iron (Fe)

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2. Liquids

• The molecules in a liquid are closely packed due to weak intermolecular forces.
• These forces are weaker than solids but stronger than that of gases.
• There is much space in between the molecules of liquids which makes their flowing
ability easy.
• Liquids can easily acquire the shape of a vessel, and they have a fixed volume.
• Conversion of solids into liquids takes place when we increase the temperature of
solids to a point where solids begin to melt.
• Generally, the density of liquid lies between the density of solids and gases.
Compressibility and thermal expansion of liquids are slightly higher than that of
solids.
Example: Water (H2O)

3. Gases

• In this state of matter, distances between the molecules are large (intermolecular
distance is in the range of 10-7 – 10-5 cm).
• The intermolecular forces experienced between them are negligible.

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 • Thus, translatory, rotatory and vibratory motions are observed prominently in gases.
• Gases do not have any fixed shape or volume.
• They also possess high compressibility and thermal expansion.
Example: Oxygen (O2)

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

Can Matter exist in two states at once?

Pressure can turn matter from one state to another. Certain matters often vary, but often
only occurs in two states and requires human and technical help to travel through all three
stages. Water is the only thing on earth that can naturally be present in all three-solid, liquid
and oil.

How do you explain matter?

Matter is all around you. All atoms and compounds are made up of very small pieces of
matter. Such atoms continue to build the everyday things you see and touch. Matter is
defined as anything that has mass (it has volume) and takes up space.

Why are the 3 states of matter important?

Three types of matter are solids, liquids, and gases. Comprehending the particle nature of
matter is significant. Particles that makeup matter are not ‘ small solid bits ‘ or ‘ small liquid
drops, ‘ but atoms and molecules. Such atoms and molecules ‘ physical characteristics
determine their state.

How is the matter made up?

Matter is also composed of small particles. Atoms are the particles that makeup matter.
Because they are so small you can’t see atoms. Most atoms come together to make up the
substance you can see.

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Is lights a matter?
Light is, not matter, a form of energy. Matter consists of atoms. Actually, light is
electromagnetic radiation. Moving electrical charge or electrons (electrical current) causes a
magnetic field and a changing magnetic field creates an electrical or electrical field.

What are the states of matter liquid?

A liquid is an almost incompressible fluid that conforms to the shape of its container but
retains a (nearly) constant volume independent of the pressure. As such, it is one of the four
fundamental states of matter (the other being solid, gas, and plasma) and it is the only state
with a definite volume but without a fixed form.

How do we classify matter?

Matter can be categorized by physical and chemical properties. Matter is something that
takes up space and has a mass. The three states of matter are solid, liquid and gaseous.
Physical transition includes the conversion of a material from one state of matter to another
without changing it’s chemical composition.

How many types of matter are classified?

The three states of matter are the three distinct physical forms which matter can take in
most environments: solid, liquid , and gas. Other states, such as plasma, Bose-Einstein
condensate, and neutron stars, may be present in extreme environments.

Introduction to the Gaseous State

The matter is everywhere: we are made of matter, the pencils you’ve used are made of
matter, the water you drink is made of matter, and the air we breathe is also a form of
matter (gas). If the matter didn’t exist, nothing would. If we matter ourselves, how would
we exist if matter did not? Without air, how would we breathe? This dependence of humans
on air makes the gaseous state of matter, extremely important to us.

Three States of Matter – Solid, Liquid & Gas

The atmosphere is a mixture of gases such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, ozone,
water vapour, etc. The gaseous state is the simplest of all states of matter, but only 11 gases
in the periodic table behave as gases under standard temperature and pressure conditions (

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STP i.e. 1 atm and 273K). These are Helium, Neon, Argon, Krypton, Xenon, Radon, Hydrogen,
Nitrogen, Oxygen, Fluorine and Chlorine. These gases are called pure gases.
The difference in the intermolecular distances between the particles of solids, liquids, and
gases is illustrated below. It can be observed that solids feature very tightly packed particles
whereas liquids feature slightly greater intermolecular distances. Of the three states, the
gaseous state can be observed to have the largest intermolecular distances.
The primary difference between solids, liquids, and gases is that:

• Solids (substances that exist in the solid-state) have definite shapes and occupy fixed
volumes.
• Liquids (substances that exist in the liquid state) do not have definite shapes, but
they occupy fixed volumes. They occupy the shape of their containers and are
slightly compressible.
• Gases (substances that exist in the gaseous state) do not have any definite shapes
and do not occupy fixed volumes. Gaseous substances occupy the shape of their
container and are highly compressible.

Physical Characteristics of Gases

• Gases have a lower density and are highly compressible as compared to solids and
liquids.
• They exert an equal amount of pressure in all directions.
• The space between gas particles is a lot, and they have high kinetic energy.
• The intermolecular forces between these gas particles are negligible.
• These particles move at high speeds in all directions and hit each other, thus causing
the gas to spread throughout the container they are kept in, evenly. This also causes
them to exert pressure on the walls of the container.
• So, gases take the volume and shape of the container.

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While a real gas has negligible inter-molecular forces of attraction, an ideal gas has zero
inter-molecular forces of attraction because the molecules of an ideal gas move so fast, and
they are so far away from each other that they do not interact at all. There is no ideal gas

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that exists naturally. However, gases behave most ideally at high temperatures and low
pressure conditions. The behaviour of gases is governed by certain laws.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

What is meant by the gaseous state?

Gas is a state of affairs that does not have a fixed shape and a fixed size. Gasses have lower
densities than other material conditions, such as solids and liquids. Among particles, there is
a lot of empty space, which has a lot of kinetic energy.

Is the cloud a gas?

Water vapour and dry air are the invisible component of clouds you can’t see. Most of the
atmosphere is pure air with which the transparent water vapour is combined and the very
small drops of water and ice crystals are suspended in. A cloud is a gas, water, and solid
mixture.

What are gasses used for?

It uses the most natural gas as an oil. Around 30 percent of the nation-wide energy
consumed was derived from natural gas in 2012. It was used to generate electricity, energy,
fuel, heat water, bake food, power industrial furnaces and even run air conditioners.

What gases are in the air we breathe?

In addition to oxygen, the air we breathe is made up of many other things! Only about 21
percent of air is made up of oxygen. Approximately 78 percent of the air you breathe is a gas
called nitrogen. Other gases such as argon, carbon dioxide, and methane also have tiny
amounts.

Why Carbon dioxide is a gas?

Since their chemical compositions are different, the reason carbon dioxide is a gas and
silicon dioxide is solid. Carbon dioxide is a circular structure with two carbon-oxygen double
bonds. It is a small, non-polar molecule with only weak molecular bonds. So it is a gas.

Properties of Suspension

• A suspension is a heterogeneous mixture.

• The size of solute particles in a suspension is quite large. It is larger than 100 mm in
diameter.
• The particles of a suspension can be seen easily.
• The particles of a suspension do not pass through a filter paper. So a suspension can
be separated by filtration.
• The suspension is unstable. The particles of a suspension settle down after some
time.

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 • A suspension scatters a beam of light passing through it because of its large particle
size.

Examples of Suspension
Some common examples of suspension are

1. Muddy water
2. Milk of magnesia
3. Sand particles suspended in water
4. Flour in water
5. Slaked lime for whitewashing
6. Paints in which dyes are suspended in turpentine oil.

What is a Solution?
A solution is a homogeneous mixture of substances. For example, when salt dissolves in
water, a homogeneous mixture, or solution, forms. The component of a mixture that is
present in the greatest quantity or that determines the state of matter of the solution is
called the solvent and the other component is called the solute.

What is a Colloid?
A Colloid is an intermediate between solution and suspension. It has particles with sizes
between 2 and 1000 nanometers. A colloid is easily visible to the naked eye. Colloids can be
distinguished from solutions using the Tyndall effect. Tyndall effect is defined as the
scattering of light (light beam) through a colloidal solution. The particles are termed as
colloidal particles and the mixture formed is known as colloidal dispersion. Liquid, solid and
gases all mix together to form a colloidal dispersion.

The different types of colloidal solution are:

• Aerosols: Solid or liquid mixed with gas; Example: fog (liquid in gas)
• Sols: Solid mixed with liquid; Example: Paint
• Emulsion: Liquid with liquid; Example: oil and water
• Gel: liquid in solid; Example: Fruit jelly

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Difference between Colloid and Suspension
The difference between suspension and colloids are tabulated below.

Suspension Colloid

It is a form of the heterogeneous solution It is a form of a homogeneous solution

Particle size greater than 1000 nm Particle size range from 1 and 1000 nm

Particles settle down well Particles do not separate

Can be separated by filtration Cannot be separated by filtration

May scatter light Shows Tyndall effect (scatters light)

Opaque Translucent

Easily visible through the naked eye Not visible through the naked eye

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

Give some suspension examples.

Suspension is commonly represented by a mixture of chalk and water, muddy water, a
mixture of flour and water, a mixture of dust particles and air, fog, milk of magnesia, and so
on.

What kind of mixture is suspension?

Suspension is a heterogenous mixture

How large are particles in suspension?

A suspension is a homogeneous mixture of particles with diameters greater than 1000 nm
that are visible to the naked eye.

Describe the appearance of a suspension.

Suspensions have a non-uniform colour and can appear cloudy or murky, similar to muddy
water. Particles will float around in a suspended solution.

What is the difference between suspension and colloid?

Unlike colloid particles, those in a suspension can be separated by filtration. Colloids are
capable of scattering light, but suspensions are not. Particles in a suspension can be seen
with the naked eye, but those in a colloid require the use of a light microscope

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Heterogeneous and Homogeneous Definition

What is a Homogeneous Mixture?

These are the types of mixtures in which the components mixed are uniformly distributed
throughout the mixture. In other words, “they are uniform throughout”. We can observe only
one phase of matter in a homogeneous mixture. Key points regarding such mixtures are:

• Particles are distributed uniformly

• We can’t judge a homogeneous mixture by just seeing it
• Homogeneous mixtures are also called solutions
• Uniform composition
• Example: rainwater, vinegar, etc.

What is a Heterogeneous Mixture?

This is a type of mixture in which all the components are completely mixed and all the particles
can be seen under a microscope. We can easily identify the components and more than one
phase can be seen by naked eyes.
Key points regarding this type of mixture:

• Particles are distributed non-uniformly

• We can judge a heterogeneous mixture by just seeing it
• Non-uniform composition
• Example: seawater, pizza, etc.

Difference between Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Mixture

Homogeneous mixture Heterogeneous mixture

It has a uniform composition It has a non-uniform composition

It has only one phase There are two or more phases

It can’t be separated out physically It can be separated out physically

‘homo’ means the same ‘hetero’ means different

Example: a mixture of alcohol and water Example: a mixture of sodium chloride and
sand

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Example

Soft drink: Homogeneous or Heterogeneous mixture?

In a homogeneous mixture, all the components are uniformly distributed and in the soft drink,
we find components like sweetener, carbon dioxide and water forming a single phase.
Therefore, a soft drink is a homogeneous mixture.

Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs

What is a heterogeneous mixture?

A heterogeneous mixture is a mixture that is non-uniform and contains smaller component
parts.

Which mixture is homogeneous?

A homogeneous mixture is a mixture throughout the solution in which the composition is
uniform. The saltwater mentioned above is homogeneous due to the even distribution of
the dissolved salt throughout the entire sample of saltwater.

What are heterogeneous and homogeneous mixture examples?

By combining two or more substances, a mixture is produced. A homogeneous solution
tends to be identical, no matter how you sample it. Homogeneous mixtures are sources of
water, saline solution, some alloys, and bitumen. Sand, oil and water, and chicken noodle
soup are examples of heterogeneous mixtures.

Which best describes a heterogeneous mixture?

A heterogeneous mixture is a mixture where throughout the solution the composition is not
uniform. By definition, a single-phase consists of a pure substance or a homogeneous
mixture. There are two or more phases of a heterogeneous mixture.

Is air homogeneous or heterogeneous?

In air, all gases would have a uniform composition. Therefore, the air is an example of
homogeneous mixture.

What is Brownian Motion?

The botanist Robert Brown presented the concept of Brownian motion in 1827. He
observed pollen grains in water under a microscope and saw that the pollen grains are moving
here and there (random movement) in water. He named this movement as the Brownian
motion. However, Einstein is the one who explained this movement.

According to the explanation of Einstein, he describes some properties of atoms. Though they
believed the existence of atoms at that time; there was no proves for it. Brownian motion is
a proof for the existence of atoms. Every matter around us consists of atoms. Therefore, even

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the pollen grains and water contains atoms. Furthermore, Einstein described that the
movement of the pollen grain is due to its collisions with the water molecules which we can’t
see. When water molecules hit the pollen grains, it bounces off, and we can see it under the
microscope. Since we can’t see the water molecules; we tend to think that the pollen grains
are moving on their own, which is not so.

Figure 01: Diagram showing the Brownian Motion

Moreover, by studying the Brownian motion, we can predict some of the properties of the
water molecules such as their speed of movement. Similarly, the particles in the air also show
Brownian motion. For example, a dust particle in the air is moving around randomly due to
the collisions with the gas molecules.

What is Diffusion?

Diffusion is the travelling of particles from a higher concentration to a lower concentration.

In other words, it is the movement of particles from the regions of higher chemical potential,

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to areas of lesser chemical potential. Therefore, this concept is similar to the travelling of heat
from a hot object to a cooler object.

Figure 02: Diffusion through a Semi-permeable Membrane

Furthermore, osmosis is a type of diffusion that describes the movement of water. When
water is moving from one cell to another, it flows according to a water potential gradient that
is from a high water potential to low water potential. Moreover, diffusion is an important
concept in biological systems. Plants and animals absorb and distribute most of the nutrients,
gases and water through diffusion. For instance, inside a cell, the oxygen content is lower than
in blood capillaries, and the carbon dioxide concentration is higher than in the blood
capillaries. Therefore, by diffusion oxygen transfers into a cell from blood capillaries, and
carbon dioxide comes out from the cell.

What is the Difference Between Brownian Motion and Diffusion?

Brownian motion is the erratic, random movement of microscopic particles in a fluid, as a

result of continuous bombardment from molecules of the surrounding medium. Whereas,
diffusion is the movement of a substance from an area of high concentration to an area of
low concentration. Therefore, the key difference between Brownian motion and diffusion is
that in Brownian motion, a particle does not have a specific direction to travel whereas in
diffusion the particles will travel from a high concentration to a low concentration. However,
the particle movement is random in both scenarios.

Moreover, another significant difference between Brownian motion and diffusion is that the
diffusion takes place according to a concentration or potential chemical gradient. But,
Brownian motion is not governed by such factors. Brownian motion of a particle occurs
according to the motion of other particles in the medium.

Below infographic provides more details on the difference between Brownian motion and
diffusion.

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Summary – Brownian Motion vs Diffusion

In summary, the key difference between Brownian motion and diffusion is that in Brownian
motion, a particle does not have a specific direction to travel whereas, in diffusion, the
particles will travel from a high concentration to a low concentration. However, the particle
movement is random in both scenarios.

Our Objective
To separate the components of a mixture using the following techniques:

• Separating funnel
• Chromatography
• Centrifugation
• Simple distillation
• Fractional distillation

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The Theory
How is a homogeneous mixture different from a heterogeneous mixture?
Most materials in our surroundings are mixtures of two or more components. Mixtures are
either homogeneous or heterogeneous. Homogeneous mixtures are uniform in composition,
but heterogeneous mixtures are not uniform in composition.
Air is a homogeneous mixture and oil in water is a heterogeneous mixture. Homogeneous and
heterogeneous mixtures can be separated into their components by several physical
methods. The choice of separation techniques is based on the type of mixture and difference
in the chemical properties of the constituents of a mixture.
What are types of separation techniques?
Various types of separation processes are:

• Crystallization
• Filtration
• Decantation
• Sublimation
• Evaporation
• Simple distillation
• Fractional distillation
• Chromatography
• Centrifugation
• Separating funnel
• Magnetic separation
• Precipitation

Let’s discuss some of the separation techniques

Using a separating funnel:
A separating funnel is used for the separation of components of a mixture between two
immiscible liquid phases. One phase is the aqueous phase and the other phase is an organic
solvent. This separation is based on the differences in the densities of the liquids. The liquid
having more density forms the lower layer and the liquid having less density forms the upper
layer.
Applications:

• To separate a mixture of oil and water.

• To separate a mixture of kerosene oil and water.

Chromatography:
Chromatography is a separation technique used to separate the different components in a
liquid mixture. It was introduced by a Russian Scientist Michael Tswett. Chromatography
involves the sample being dissolved in a particular solvent called mobile phase. The mobile

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phase may be a gas or liquid. The mobile phase is then passed through another phase called
stationary phase. The stationary phase may be a solid packed in a glass plate or a piece of
chromatography paper.
The various components of the mixture travel at different speeds, causing them to separate.
There are different types of chromatographic techniques such as column chromatography,
TLC, paper chromatography, and gas chromatography.
Paper chromatography is one of the important chromatographic methods. Paper
chromatography uses paper as the stationary phase and a liquid solvent as the mobile phase.
In paper chromatography, the sample is placed on a spot on the paper and the paper is
carefully dipped into a solvent. The solvent rises up the paper due to capillary action and the
components of the mixture rise up at different rates and thus are separated from one
another.

Applications:

• To separate colors in a dye.

• To separate pigments from natural colors.
• To separate drugs from blood.

Centrifugation:
Sometimes the solid particles in a liquid are very small and can pass through a filter paper.
For such particles, the filtration technique cannot be used for separation. Such mixtures are
separated by centrifugation. So, centrifugation is the process of separation of insoluble
materials from a liquid where normal filtration does not work well. The centrifugation is
based on the size, shape, and density of the particles, viscosity of the medium, and the speed
of rotation. The principle is that the denser particles are forced to the bottom and the lighter
particles stay at the top when spun rapidly.
The apparatus used for centrifugation is called a centrifuge. The centrifuge consists of a
centrifuge tube holder called rotor. The rotor holds balanced centrifugal tubes of equal
amounts of the solid-liquid mixture. On rapid rotation of the rotor, the centrifuge tubes rotate
horizontally and due to the centrifugal force, the denser insoluble particles separate from the
liquid. When the rotation stops, the solid particles end up at the bottom of the centrifuge
tube with liquid at the top.

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Applications:

• Used in diagnostic laboratories for blood and urine tests.

• Used in dairies and home to separate butter from cream.
• Used in washing machines to squeeze water from wet clothes.

Simple distillation:
Simple distillation is a method used for the separation of components of a mixture containing
two miscible liquids that boil without decomposition and have sufficient difference in their
boiling points.
The distillation process involves heating a liquid to its boiling points, and transferring the
vapors into the cold portion of the apparatus, then condensing the vapors and collecting the
condensed liquid in a container. In this process, when the temperature of a liquid rises, the
vapor pressure of the liquid increases. When the vapor pressure of the liquid and the
atmospheric pressure reach the same level, the liquid passes into its vapor state. The vapors
pass over the heated portion of the apparatus until they come into contact with the cold
surface of the water-cooled condenser. When the vapor cools, it condenses and passes down
the condenser and is collected into a receiver through the vacuum adapter.

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Applications:

• Separation of acetone and water.

• Distillation of alcohol.

Fractional distillation:
Fractional distillation is used for the separation of a mixture of two or more
miscible liquids for which the difference in boiling points is less than 25K. The
apparatus for fractional distillation is similar to that of simple distillation, except
that a fractionating column is fitted in between the distillation flask and the
condenser.
A simple fractionating column is a tube packed with glass beads. The beads
provide surface for the vapors to cool and condense repeatedly. When vapors of
a mixture are passed through the fractionating column, because of the repeated
condensation and evaporation, the vapors of the liquid with the lower boiling
point first pass out of the fractionating column, condense and are collected in the
receiver flask. The other liquid, with a slightly higher boiling point, can be
collected in similar fashion in another receiver flask.

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Applications:

• Separation of different fractions from petroleum products.

• Separation of a mixture of methanol and ethanol.

Learning outcomes

1. Student understands the following terms: solvent extraction,

chromatography, RF , centrifugation, simple distillation, fractional
distillation, etc.
2. Student acquires skills to perform experiments using the following
techniques in the chemistry lab:
• Solvent extraction using separating funnel
• Paper Chromatography
• Centrifuge machine
• Simple distillation & fractional distillation
3. Student can identify the components in the mixture based on the
knowledge of Rf value, boiling point, density, etc.
4. Student is able to select & design the above techniques based on
the chemical and physical properties of the components in the mixture.
5. Students acquire the skill to arrange the requirements for each technique
through the animations, simulators and videos.
6. Students will be able to select and perform suitable separation techniques
based on the available information about the nature of the components in
the mixture.

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