What are the States of Matter?

There are 4 states of matter: solid, liquid, gas, and plasma. They are determined by the movement of their molecules (or atoms). Some examples of solids are diamonds and trees. Some examples of liquids are water and mercury. Some examples of gases include oxygen and carbon dioxide, while examples of plasma include lightning and the Sun.

Difference Between the 4 states of Matter

The difference between the 4 states of matter is simply their composition, or how they look like. For example, if you look at a model between gas and solid, you might have noticed that gases are free flowing but solids are not. 

How to Change States of Matter?

The states of matter can be changed by heat. For example, adding more heat changes solid to liquid and liquid to gas and vice versa if it cools.

Properties of Matter

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s jump into our main goal: know about properties of matter. Properties of matter are grouped in 2 groups: physical properties and chemical properties. We’ll be learning about them and on the way, doing some fun experiments, as well!

Physical Properties

Physical properties of matter are things that can be measured without changing the substance. For example, some physical properties are odor(smell), luster(shine), hardness, mass, etc. 

Chemical Properties

Chemical properties are properties that can be measured only by changing the substance. Some examples of chemical properties are toxicity (how toxic something is), flammability (how fast it catches on fire), and tarnish (how fast it reacts with sulfur, an element).

Physical Change

Physical changes are changes that are often reversible (able to be reversed). There are 2 types of physical changes, which are mixtures.