Science

Date: 05/02/2025

Particle Theory

Describe matter as made of particles:

Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space. The arrangement of these
particles determines the properties of the material.

Know the properties of the states of matter:

The states of matter are :

Solid : Solids are the particles packed together tightly in a neat and ordered
arrangement. 🪨
Liquid : Liquids are particles which are still close together, like the particles in a
solid, but are arranged randomly. 🍻
Gas : Gases are particles which move rapidly in all directions, frequently colliding with
each other and the side of a container. 💨
Classify substances as solid, liquid or gas:
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Solid Liquid Gas

Rock Prime Oxygen

Chair Water Carbon Dioxide

Table Coca-Cola Nitrogen

Liquids

Arrangement of Particles

-​ Close together
-​ Random arrangement

Movement of Particles

- Limited movement

- Move around each other

Solids
Arrangement of Particles
-​Close together
-​Regular pattern
-​Strongly attracted to each other

Movement of particles
-​Fixed positions
-​Vibrate on the spot
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Gases

Arrangement of Particles
-​Far apart
-​Random arrangement
-​Little attractions between particles

Movement of Particles
-​Move quickly in all directions

Know the process of changing state:

Melting: Solid turns into a liquid when heated.

Freezing: Liquid turns into a solid when cooled.

Boiling: Liquid turns into a gas when heated enough.

Condensation: Gas turns into a liquid when cooled.

Boiling point - above this temperature, a substance is a gas (below, it is a liquid

(which is a state of matter))

The boiling point of water is 100ºC

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Melting point - Melting point – above this temperature, a substance is a liquid (below,
it is a Melting point – above this temperature, a

substance is a liquid (below, it is a Gas……….)

The melting point of water is 0…… ºC

Substance Melting point (°C) Boiling point (°C)

Water O 100

Lead 327 1750

Iron 1535 2750

Mercury -38 356

Oxygen -218 -183

Know how particles behave in different states of matter:

Solids: Particles are packed tightly and vibrate in place.

Liquids: Particles are close together but move around.

Gases: Particles are spread out and move freely.

Use the idea of bonding between particles to explain the properties of states of

Matter:

Solid 🧱
●​ Has a fixed shape (doesn’t change easily).
●​ Has a fixed volume (doesn’t shrink or expand).
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●​ Particles are packed tightly together and only vibrate in place.

●​ Example: A rock, ice, or a wooden table.

Liquid 💧
●​ Takes the shape of its container (flows and spreads out).
●​ Has a fixed volume (doesn’t expand or shrink easily).
●​ Particles are loosely packed and can move around each other.
●​ Example: Water, juice, or milk.

Gas 💨
●​ Fills the shape and volume of its container.
●​ Can be compressed (squashed) into a smaller space.
●​ Particles are far apart and move very fast in all directions.
●​ Example: Air, oxygen, or steam from a kettle.

Explain the compressibility of gases:

Gases are highly compressible because:

Gas particles are far apart – There’s a lot of empty space between them.

In a container the compressibility depends on the volume of the container.

Explain diffusion

Diffusion is the movement of particles from a region of high concentration to a region

of low concentration.

Diffusion is the spreading out of particles because of their rapid random movement
from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration.
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A substance, that is free to move, will diffuse from a region of high concentration
(where there is a lot of it) to a region of low concentration (where there is not much of
it).

Use the idea of moving particles to explain the properties of the states of matter :

Everything is made up of tiny particles (too small to see), and these particles are
always moving. The way they move explains the properties of solids, liquids, and
gases.

Use the idea of moving particles to explain pressure in gases :

Gas pressure is caused by gas particles moving and colliding with the walls of a
container. The more and harder they hit, the higher the pressure!

1. How Do Gas Particles Move?

●​ Gas particles are far apart and move fast in all directions.
●​ They collide with each other and with the walls of the container.
●​ These collisions create pressure.

2. What Affects Gas Pressure?

🔹 More Particles = More Pressure

●​ If you add more gas to a container (like pumping air into a balloon), there are
more collisions with the walls.
●​ More collisions = higher pressure!

🔹 Less Space = More Pressure

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●​ If you squeeze a gas into a smaller space (like pressing a syringe), the particles
are closer together.
●​ They hit the walls more often, increasing pressure.

Use the idea of moving particles to explain changes of state:

Everything is made of tiny moving particles, and their movement changes when we
heat or cool them. This causes changes of state between solid, liquid, and gas!

Melting (Solid → Liquid) 🧊➡️💧

What happens?

●​ When a solid is heated, its particles gain energy and vibrate faster.
●​ If they get enough energy, they break free from their fixed positions and start
moving past each other.
●​ The solid melts into a liquid!

🔹 Example: Ice melts into water at 0°C.

Freezing (Liquid → Solid) 💧➡️🧊
What happens?

●​ When a liquid is cooled, its particles lose energy and move slower.
●​ They get closer together and form a fixed pattern.
●​ The liquid freezes into a solid!

🔹 Example: Water freezes into ice at 0°C.

Evaporation (Liquid → Gas) 💧➡️💨
What happens?

●​ When a liquid is heated, its particles gain energy and move faster.
●​ Some fast-moving particles escape from the surface and turn into gas.
●​ This is how a puddle dries up in the sun!
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🔹 Example: Water evaporates into steam below 100°C.

Boiling (Liquid → Gas) ♨️💧➡️💨
What happens?

●​ When a liquid reaches its boiling point, all particles have enough energy to
break free and become gas.
●​ Bubbles form and rise because gas is escaping!

🔹 Example: Water boils at 100°C, turning into steam.

Condensation (Gas → Liquid) 💨➡️💧

What happens?

●​ When a gas cools, its particles lose energy and move slower.
●​ They get closer together and turn back into a liquid.

🔹 Example: Steam from a hot shower turns into water droplets on a cold mirror.
Calculate volume and density

Volume is the amount of space an object takes up. The formula depends on the shape:

For a rectangular object (like a box):

Volume=Length×Width×Height\text{Volume} = \text{Length} × \text{Width} ×

\text{Height}Volume=Length×Width×Height

Example: A box is 5 cm long, 3 cm wide, and 2 cm high.

5 x 3 x 2 =30 cm3

Density tells us how much mass is packed into a certain volume. The formula is:

Density = Mass / Volume

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●​ Mass is measured in grams (g) or kilograms (kg).

●​ Volume is measured in cm³ or m³.
●​ Density is measured in g/cm³ or kg/m³.