MID TERM EXAMINATION

ENGLISH FOR CHEMISTRY

4.1. States of Matter

4.1.1. Introduction
Read this text about states of matter and the Kinetic Molecular Theory of Matter. Parts of some
sentences have been removed from the text. Choose the most appropriate part from the list (A-G) for
each gap (1-6) in the text. There is an example at the beginning.

The different states of matter have long confused people. The ancient Greeks were the first (0) …C..
based on their observations of water. But these same Greeks, in particular the
philosopher Thales (624 - 545 BCE), incorrectly suggested that since water could exist as a solid,
liquid, or even a gas under natural conditions, it must be the single principal element in
the universe (1) …... .We now know that water is not the fundamental substance of the universe; in
fact, (2) …... .

To understand the different states in which matter can exist, we need to understand something
called the Kinetic Molecular Theory of Matter. Kinetic Molecular Theory has many parts, but we will
introduce just a few here. One of the basic concepts of the theory states
that atoms and molecules possess an energy of motion (3) …... In other words, atoms and molecules
are constantly moving, and we measure the energy of these movements (4) …... The more energy a
substance has, the more molecular movement there will be, and the higher the perceived
temperature will be. An important point that follows this is that the amount of energy that atoms
and molecules have (and thus the amount of movement) influences their interaction with each
other. (5) ….., many atoms and molecules are attracted to each other as a result of various
intermolecular forces such as hydrogen bonds, van der Waals forces, and others. Atoms and
molecules that have relatively small amounts of energy (and movement) will interact strongly with
each other, while those that have relatively high energy will interact only slightly, if even at all, with
others.

How does this produce different states of matter? Atoms that have low energy interact strongly and
(6) …... Thus, collectively, these atoms form a hard substance, what we call a solid. Atoms that
possess high energy will move past each other freely, flying about a room, and forming what we call
a gas. As it turns out, there are several known states of matter; a few of them are detailed below.

A as the temperature of the substance

B tend to "lock" in place with respect to other atoms

C to identify three classes (what we now call states) of matter

D from which all other substances are made

F it is not even an element

G that we perceive as temperature

READING

Look at the text above again and decide whether these sentences are TRUE or FALSE.

1. Thales correctly suggested that since water could exist as a solid, liquid, or even a gas, it must be
the single principal element in the universe.

2. The more energy a substance has, the less molecular movement there will be.

3. The amount of energy that atoms and molecules have influences their interaction with each other.

4. Atoms and molecules that have relatively small amounts of energy will interact weakly with each
other.

5. Atoms that have low energy interact strongly.

VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT

4.1.2. Solids, Liquids, Gases, Plasmas and Bose-Einstein Condensates

intermolecular forces, charged ions, vibrational energy, low density, gaseous superfluids,
absolute zero, liquid crystals, attractive forces, ionized gases, rigid structure, little interaction

1. Solids are formed when the ………. between individual molecules are greater than
the energy causing them to move apart. Individual molecules are locked in position near each other,
and cannot move past one another. The atoms or molecules of solids remain in motion. However,
that motion is limited to ……….; individual molecules stay fixed in place and vibrate next to each
other. As the temperature of a solid is increased, the amount of vibration increases, but the solid
retains its shape and volume because the molecules are locked in place relative to each other.

2. Liquids are formed when the energy (usually in the form of heat) of a system is increased and the
………. of the solid state is broken down. In liquids, molecules can move past one another and bump
into other molecules; however, they remain relatively close to each other like solids. Often in liquids,
……….. (such as hydrogen bonds) pull molecules together and are quickly broken. As the temperature
of a liquid is increased, the amount of movement of individual molecules increases. As a result,
liquids can "flow" to take the shape of their container but they cannot be easily compressed because
the molecules are already close together. Thus liquids have an undefined shape, but a defined
volume.

3. Gases are formed when the energy in the system exceeds all of the
attractive forces between molecules. Thus gas molecules have ………. with each other beyond
occasionally bumping into one another. In the gas state, molecules move quickly and are free to
move in any direction, spreading out long distances. As the temperature of a gas increases, the
amount of movement of individual molecules increases. Gases expand to fill their containers and
have ………. . Because individual molecules are widely separated and can move around easily in the
gas state, gases can be compressed easily and they have an undefined shape.

Solids, liquids, and gases are the most common states of matter that exist on our planet.

4. Plasmas are hot, ………. . Plasmas are formed under conditions of extremely high energy, so high, in
fact, that molecules are ripped apart and only free atoms exist. More astounding, plasmas have so
much energy that the outer electrons are actually ripped off of individual atoms, thus forming a gas
of highly energetic, charged ions. Because the atoms in plasma exist as ………., plasmas behave
differently than gases, thus representing a fourth state of matter. Plasmas can be commonly seen
simply by looking upward; the high energy conditions that exist in stars such as our sun force
individual atoms into the plasma state. As we have seen, increasing energy leads to more molecular
motion. Conversely, decreasing energy results in less molecular motion. As a result, one prediction of
Kinetic Molecular Theory is that if we continue to decrease the energy (measured as temperature) of
a substance, we will reach a point at which all molecular motion stops. The temperature at which
molecular motion stops is called ………. and has been calculated to be -273.15 degrees Celsius.
While scientists have cooled substances to temperatures close to absolute zero, they have never
actually reached absolute zero. The difficulty with observing a substance at absolute zero is that to
"see" the substance, light is needed, and light itself transfers energy to the substance, thus raising
the temperature. Despite these challenges, scientists have recently observed a fifth state of
matter that only exists at temperatures very close to absolute zero.

5. Bose-Einstein Condensates represent a fifth state of matter only seen for the first time in
1995. The state is named after Satyendra Nath Bose and Albert Einstein who predicted its
existence in the
1920's. B-E condensates are ………. cooled to temperatures very near absolute zero. In this weird
state, all the atoms of the condensate attain the same quantum-mechanical state and can flow
past one another without friction. Even more strangely, B-E condensates can actually "trap" light,
releasing it when the state breaks down.

Several other less common states of matter have also either been described or actually seen.
Some of these states include ………., fermionic condensates, superfluids, supersolids and the aptly
named strange matter.

See more about gases, liquids and solids at

READING

Read the text above again. There are some statements after it. Your task is to match the
statements
to the numbered paragraphs.The last two sentences in the text do not count as a separate
paragraph.

a) Because individual molecules are widely separated and can move around easily , they
can be compressed easily.
b) Individual molecules are locked in position near each other, and cannot move past
one another.
c) All the atoms attain the same quantum-mechanical state and can flow past one
another without friction.
d) They cannot be easily compressed because the molecules are already close
together.
e) They are formed under conditions of extremely high energy, so high, that
molecules are ripped apart and only free atoms exist.
VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT

Insert the missing forms of the words in the table. All the words are taken from the text above.

VERB NOUN ADJECTIVE ADVERB

limited

easily

increase

exceed

energetic

condensate -