MATTER AND MATERIAL GRADE 7 GUIDE

NAME: _____________________________________________ SCHOOL: __________________________________

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS

Properties of materials make them suitable for a particular use. A material used for a car tire, building a house,
making cooking pots and many other activities is decided on by assessing its suitability for the purpose.
Properties of materials:
a) Strength How strong or weak a material is.
b) Flexibility Is the property of a material that enables it to stretch or bend without breaking.
c) Boiling and melting points materials have different boiling and melting points or temperatures.
The melting point of cooking pots, for instance, is high so that they can withstand high temperatures.
Boiling point simply refers to the temperature at which a substance starts boiling.
Melting point is the temperature at which a substance is expected to melt.
d) Electrical conductivity Materials allow electricity to pass or flow through them. All metals, including
carbon, which is a non-metal, conduct electricity.
e) Heat conductivity Metals conduct heat. This simply means they allow heat to be transferred between the
objects that are in contact with one another. Cooking pots, for instance, transfer energy to the food that is
being cooked or processed.

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 ACTIVITY 1
Answer the following questions:
1. What are the properties of materials? _________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
2. Discuss the meaning of flexibility. _____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Discuss the difference between a boiling and a melting point. ______________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
4. What is the boiling point of water? __________________________________________________________
5. What is the difference between a heat conductor and an electric conductor? _________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
6. What is the direction in which heat flows? _____________________________________________________
7. Which one between a candle and an iron rod has a high melting point? ______________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
8. When a substance has a high melting point, it means the forces holding the particles together are strong.
What can be concluded of the melting point of a candle when compared to an iron rod? ________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

The Black box

A black box is an electronic recording device placed in aircrafts. It is called a black box even though it is mainly
painted bright orange for better visibility after an accident. A black box is usually placed at the tail of an aircraft
or in a fast train. A black box records speed, altitude, acceleration, voices and background noise. A black box
can ping once a second for thirty days before the battery runs out.

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 ACTIVITY 2
Answer the following questions:
1. Discuss what a black box is. _______________________________________________________________
2. What is the colour of a black box? __________________
3. Discuss why do you think the back box must be placed at the tail of an aircraft? _______________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
4. What is the use of a black box? ______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
5. For how long can a black box ping before the battery runs out? ____________________________________
6. How many times does a black box ping in one minute? ___________________________________________
7. How many times does a black box ping in an hour? ______________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
8. How many times does a black box ping in a day? ________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT

AGRICULTURE

Environmental impact is the effect something has on our environment. Agriculture is one of the sectors that
consume
Some of the activities that contribute towards the consumption include irrigation and water consumption by
alien plants such as blue gum trees. Over irrigation could also increase soil salinity and wash pollutants into our
rivers.

ACTIVITY 2
1. What is environmental impact? _______________________________________________________
2. Which sector consumes a lot of our fresh water? _________________________________________
3. How much of our water is used by the sector in question 3? ________________________________
4. Mention at least three uses of Gum trees.
4.1 ______________________________________________________________________________
4.2 ______________________________________________________________________________
5. Discuss why a Blue Gum tree is important for our economy? _______________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

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 6. Plastic is made from non-renewable resources and takes a very long time to decay. What is the impact of
plastic on the environment? _________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

MIXTURES
A mixture is when two or more substances are put together without forming a new substance or without
changing their physical properties. Physical properties are those properties that can be seen or touched.

7. Physical properties of materials include____________ (strength and flexibility / mass).

8. The boiling temperature for water is _____________ (80 C / 100 C / 25 C) and for alcohol (pure
ethanol) is ____________ 78.5 C / 90 C / 100 C.

9. Discuss what happens to a substance when it boils. _____________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________

10. The following are some of the methods of physical separation of mixtures; ___________________ (boiling
and melting/ sieving, filtration and sorting/ evaporation and condensation).

11. What method can be used to separate an Iron and sand mixture? ___________________________________

12. Discuss how alcohol and water can be separated considering that they boil at different temperatures.
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

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 SEPARATION OF MIXTURES
Mixtures can be physically separated (we can see it as it happens). There are different methods of separating
mixtures. The methods include:

A. Filtration
B. Sifting
C. Evaporation
D. Using magnets
E. Distilation
F. Cromatography

FILTRATION
Uses a filter to separate solid from liquid material.

SIFTING

Is used to separate materials of different sizes in a solid state

EVAPORATION

Uses heat to remove a liquid from a mixture leaving behind the solute.

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 DISTILATION

Distilation is the separation of mixtures by heating to a required temperature and then condensing the product.

a) It is used if the mixture is made of substances with different boiling temperatures.

b) Distilation is also used to purify susbtances.
Distillation is used in refining crude oil (mixture of substances such as paraffin, petrol, diesel and
propane gas)
c) These substances can be separated because they have different boiling temperatures.
d) The type of distillation used in crude oil is called fractional distillation.

CHROMATOGRAPHY

Chromatography can be used to separate mixtures of coloured compounds. Mixtures that are suitable for
separation by chromatography include inks, dyes and colouring agents in food.

a) The mixtures of coloured components can be separated because they flow at different speeds.
b) Chromatography - is used to separate mixtures of coloured compounds.
c) Mixtures such as dyes, inks, and food colouring agents are suitable for separation by
chromatography.

ACTIVITY 3

Answer the following questions:

1. If you add oil to water, the oil floats on the surface of the water because__________ ______________ (oil is
less dense than water but not lighter/ water is heavier than oil).

2. Which method is used to separate different colour pigments from one colour pigment? ________________

3. Where do you think a sifting machine is used? __________________________________________________

4. Which two methods of separating mixtures use heat? ___________________________________________

5. Discuss how you can get pure water from salt water using one of the methods in the figure above.
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

6. What is a soluble material? _________________________________________________________________

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 7. If we filter water using a filter paper, _____________________ (only the insoluble solids are removed / only
the soluble parts are removed).

8. What is distillation? _______________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

9. What is crude oil? _________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

10. What is one condition for separating mixtures using distillation? ___________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

11. Which substances are suitable for separation by chromatography?

________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

12. Discuss how chromatography works______________________________________ ____________________

________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

SORTING AND RECYCLING MATERIALS

There are different methods of sorting materials for different purposes. Some of the methods include hand

sorting. Hand sorting is the use of hands to separate a mixture of solids if the pieces are big enough to pick up.

ACTIVITY 4

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS FOLLOWING:

1. Discuss how hand sorting is used to separate mixtures. __________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________
2. Where is hand sorting used? ________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Cranes in scrap yards have magnets that are used separate iron and steel from
_________________________________ (magnetic materials / non-magnetic materials).

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 4. Discuss why people should dispose waste such as paper and food remains in dustbins.

________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

5. People are often seen throwing waster out of moving cars, throwing paper anywhere in the school yard and
in public places. Explain why this should not happen. _____________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

6. Jug water filters, which are available at big supermarkets, can be used to filter small amounts of water for
drinking. Jug water filters remove all the insoluble solids from the water and _________
__________________________ (none of the soluble substances / most of the
soluble substances).

RECYCLING

a) To recycle means to reprocess material so that it can be used again.

b) Not all materials are suitable for recycling. The materials that are suitable for recycling include Paper, plastic,
steel, electronics, food, and clothing.
c) Recycling is good for our environment reduces air pollutants
d) Converts old waste products into new ones.
e) Reduces the amount of resources such as energy and water used to make new products.
f) Reduces water and air pollution.

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 PLASTIC BAG LEVY

In retail stores customers are expected to pay for their shopping bags. This plastic bag levy was introduced by
The Government to control waste disposal and reduce plastic bag consumption.

ACTIVITY 5

Answer the following questions:

1. What is recycling? _______________________________________________________________________

2. Which materials are suitable for recycling? _____________________________________________________

3. Discuss the advantages of recycling materials. __________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

4. Compost is_____________________________ (an inorganic waste / organic waste).

5. What are the disadvantages of poor waste management? ________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

6. People who carry our waste have to deal with our_______________ (smelly and rotten garbage / aromatic
food waste) and we must respect them.

7. Discuss how the plastic bag levy helps in controlling waste disposal. _________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

8. Throwing papers everywhere in our school yard __________________________________ (creates

employment for our workers / saves us time looking for bins / is improper and irresponsible waste disposal).

9. Some countries are abolishing the use of plastics. Why do you think plastic bags should be abolished?
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

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 ACIDS AND BASES

Acids properties

Sour taste
Turn blue litmus red
pH ranges from 0 to less than 7 (7 is neutral).
Rough feel
Sticky
Sharp smell
Base properties
Bitter taste
Turn red litmus blue
pH ranges from above 7 to 14.
Slippery feel
Usually no smell

INDICATOR
a) An indicator is used to test if a substance is an acid or a base.
b) Any substance that undergoes a reversible chemical change like changing colour when pH changes
can be used as an acid-base indicator.
c) Litmus, red or blue, indicator is made from lichens. It is made into a solution, soaked and dried on

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 ACTIVITY 6

Answer the following questions:

1. What are the properties of acids? __________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________
2. Give two examples of house hold acids. _____________________________________________________
3. What are the properties of bases? ___________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
4. Many acids and bases are corrosive meaning they are ____________________________________
(dangerous to feel or taste / safe to feel or taste).
5. If a substance is neutral it means_______________________ (it is an acid / it is a base / it is neither an acid
nor a base).
6. What is an indicator? _____________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
7. A litmus is a purple substance extracted from litchens. What is the use of a litmus paper?
________________________________________________________________________________________
8. What is the colour of blue litmus in an acid? ____________________
9. A red litmus paper will ________________ (not change / change) colour in a neutral solution.
10. All detergents and soaps are ______________ (acids / bases).
11. A substance with a pH of less than 7 is _____________ (an acid / a base).
12. pH stands for ___________________ (power hour / power of hydrogen).
13. A bee sting is acidic and if one is stung by a bee they should neutralise it using _________ (milk / cold water
/ a base like baking powder) which contains sodium hydrogen carbonate.
14. What are the four differerences between acids and bases? ________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

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 Indigestion

When experiencing indigestion, one should take an antacid tablet which contains a base. This is because your
stomach contains hydrochloric acid and too much of it needs to be neutralised.

pH SCALE
A pH scale ranges from 0 14. It is also able to measure the pH of substances less than 1.

ACTIVITY 7

Answer the following questions:

1. What is the range of the pH scale? __________________________________________

2. When there is too much acid in the soil, lime which is __________________________
( basic/acidic) must be used to neutralise the acid.
3. Use the following diagram to answer the followig questions:
3.1 Is bleach an acid or a base? _______________________
3.2 What is the pH for Ammonia solution? ______________
3.3 Our drinking water is not always neutral, discuss the reason behind this. ____________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
3.4 Which fruit juice is a base? _________________________________________________________________
3.5 What is distilled water? ____________________________________________________________________
3.6 Is liquid drain cleaner a strong or a weak base? _________________________________________________
3.7 The pH of water in swimming pools has to be tested using pH strips, explain why this is important.
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
3.8 Explain the effect urine will have on plants? ____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

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 3.9 Which substance has the lowest pH? _____________
3.10 If a substance has a high pH value, is it basic or acidic? ___________

THE PERIODIC TABLE

The Periodic Table of elements is a table that shows how elements are classified and arranged. It was put
together in 1860 by The Russian chemist known as Dmitri Mendeleev.

The elements in The Periodic Table are arranged into three main categories which are metals, nonmetals and
semi metals.

a) Metals are on the left of The Periodic Table of Elements.

b) Nonmetals on the right of The Periodic Table of Elements.
c) Semimetals are between metals and nonmetals.
d) Atomic numbers are used to arrange elements in their increasing order, i.e. 1, 2, 3 etc.
e) Metals have a high melting point compared to nonmetals.
f) Mercury and Gallium are the only metals that are liquid at room temperature.
g) Metals are good conductors of heat and electricity.

ACTIVITY 8

Answer the following questions:

1. Who is the father of the Periodic Table of Elements? __________________________________________

2. What are the three main categories grouping elements? _______________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
3. Discuss how elements are arranged in the Periodic Table of Elements. ____________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
4. (Atomic numbers / Mass numbers) ________________________are used to arrange elements in The
Periodic Table.
5. Metals have _______________________________ (high melting points and high boiling points / low melting
points and low boiling points).
6. All metals are all solid at room temperature except for _______________ (Mercury and Gallium/Magnesium
and Sodium).

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 7. Melting point is the temperature at which a substance changes from _______________ (solid to liquid /
liquid to solid).
8. The boiling point of a substance is the temperature at which a substance turns from
______________________________ (liquid to gas / gas to liquid). It can be further said that boiling point is
the temperature at which the pressure of a liquid is equal to the atmospheric pressure.
9. Metals are _________________________ (good conductors / poor conductors) of heat and electricity.

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