Lesson 1: Understanding Matter



Take a look around you, what do you see? Everything that you see is matter. Matter is anything that takes up space and has a mass. Basically, everything is made of matter. Matter cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be changed. A computer you use did not just appear like that; it was built using different materials. Each of these materials is made of matter.


All matter shares certain characteristics and exists in different states. Matter can also have two types of properties  —  physical and chemical. In this lesson, you will develop an understanding of matter.


 

Everything that takes up space is matter.



 

In this lesson, you will learn:
  • what all matter has in common
  • about the three states of matter
  • what the differences are between a physical and a chemical property
  • how matter can be classified
  • that all chemical substances are considered to be matter
  • how to interpret safety information at home and at work
  • why it might be dangerous to mix common household substances


Key terms for this lesson:

  • matter
  • theory
  • particle theory of matter
  • states of matter
  • solid
  • liquid
  • gas
  • mixture
  • WHMIS
  • MSDS
  • HHPS
  • physical property
  • chemical property
  • pure substance
  • melting point
  • freezing point
  • boiling point