States of matter
Francine Taylor-Campbell, Contributor

Welcome again to another chemistry lesson series. This year we hope to guide you to a distinction in chemistry through short notes, examination questions and comments designed to point out sources of errors and how to correct them.

By the end of our time together you should be able to:

• Explain the differences between the three states of matter in terms of energy and particle arrangements.
• State the evidence that supports the particulate nature of matter.

MAIN POINTS

• Matter has mass and occupies space. The quantity of matter in a material is determined by its mass.
• The state that matter occupies depends on how the particles in it are packed.
• The three states of matter are solid, liquid and gas.
• Matter can be changed from one form to another by increasing or decreasing the kinetic energy of the material.
• Processes such as freezing, melting and boiling can change the form that matter takes.
• All substances are made of atoms. These combine to form elements which later form compounds.
• The three states of matter can be differentiated by their shape, volume, particle arrangement, forces of attraction between particles and their energy of motion.
• Processes of diffusion, osmosis and Brownian motion show that matter consists of tiny particles.

Francine Taylor-Campbell teaches at Jamaica College. Send questions and comments to kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com