Physical Sciences: Matter & Energy
What is physical science?
A. Physical science is a field of science
that studies matter and energy.
B.  Physical science has 2 main
branches:
1. PHYSICS: the study of how matter
and energy interact
•  Force, motion, robotics, nuclear
energy, solar panels
2. CHEMISTRY: the study of the
structure, makeup, and changes of
matter
•  chemicals, acids & bases,
atoms, molecules, medicines
What is matter?
A.  OBJECT: an item or material thing made of
matter.
1. All objects are made of matter.
B.  MATTER: anything that has mass and takes
up space
C.  PROPERTIES: the characteristics used to
describe matter
1.  There are 2 major types of properties:
a. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES:
characteristics that can be observed
without changing the matter
* Includes size, texture, states, color, shape,
mass, volume, buoyancy, density
b. CHEMICAL PROPERTIES:
characteristics that can be observed by
changing the matter
* Includes oxidation, burning, digestion
What is matter made of?
A.  All matter is made of atoms
B.  ATOM: the smallest part of matter.
C.  Atoms are made of three
subatomic particles:
1.  PROTON: a positive (+)
subatomic particle
2.  NEUTRON: a neutral subatomic
particle
3.  ELECTRON: a negative (-)
subatomic particle
D. There are two parts to an atom:
1. NUCLEUS: the center of an atom where neutrons and
protons are located
2. ENERGY LEVELS: orbits where electrons are located
What is a molecule?
A.  MOLECULE: one or more atoms joined
together to make a new type of matter
1.  Molecules can be made of one kind of
atom or different kinds of atoms.
• 
• 
Oxygen we breathe is an example of
one kind of atom in a molecule
Water is an example of more than one
kind of atom in a molecule
2.  Molecules are held together by bonds
B. Most matter on earth is made of different
types of molecules bonded or mixed
together.
What is a chemical formula?
A. CHEMICAL FORMULA: way of writing a molecule using
chemical symbols
1.  Chemical symbols are letters:
•  Carbon: C
Helium: He
•  Hydrogen: H
Gold: Au
•  Oxygen: O
Iron: Fe
•  Nitrogen: N
Sodium: Na
2.  Chemical formulas are a combination of symbols and
numbers to show how many atoms are used:
• 
• 
• 
• 
Water: 2 Hydrogen, 1 Oxygen: H2O
Carbon Dioxide: 1 Carbon, 2 Oxygen: CO2
Ethane: 2 Carbon, 6 Hydrogen: C2H6
Glucose: 6 Carbon,12 Hydrogen, 6 Oxygen: C6H12O6
What are the 3 types of molecular matter?
A.  Molecular matter can be grouped into three
main types:
1.  ELEMENT: molecules made of one kind of
atom
•  Oxygen is an example of an element
2.  COMPOUND: molecules made up of two
or more types of atoms that are joined
together
•  Water is an example of compound
3.  MIXTURE: a substance made up of two or
more kinds of molecules that are mixed
together
•  Soil, air and pancake batter are
examples of mixtures
How are molecules classified?
A. Molecular compounds are classified in a number of different
ways:
1.  Compounds made with or without carbon:
a.  INORGANIC: molecules without carbon
b.  ORGANIC: molecules with carbon
2.  Compounds that are large or small:
a.  MONOMERS: smaller molecules
b.  POLYMERS: large molecules
What are some physical properties of matter?
A.  Properties are characteristics used to
describe matter.
B.  PHYSICAL PROPERTIES can be
observed without changing matter
into a new substances
1.  Examples includes size, texture,
states, color, shape, mass,
volume, buoyancy, density
2.  None of these examples change
the matter into new matter
How are mass and volume physical
properties?
A.  Two major physical properties of matter are
mass and volume
1.  MASS: the amount of matter an object
contains
a.  Mass on earth is often measured
using weight
i.  WEIGHT: a measure of the pull of
gravity on an object
ii.  Mass and weight are measured in
grams (g)
2.  VOLUME: the amount of space an object
takes up
a.  Volume is measured in liters (l)
B. The mass and volume of matter is affects
other physical properties.
What are the states of matter?
A. STATE OF MATTER: any of the four
physical forms of matter.
1.  SOLID: a state of matter with
definite shape and volume
•  particles are tightly packed
together and do not change
position
2.  LIQUID: a state of matter with a
definite volume but no definite
shape.
•  particles are loosely packed
together and can change
position
3.  GAS: state of matter with no
definite shape or volume.
•  particles spread out and are in
constant motion
What are the states of matter?
B. Matter can change from one
state to another. This
change is often caused by a
change in heat energy.
1.  FREEZING: a change
from liquid to solid
• 
Liquid must be cooled
2.  MELTING: a change
from solid to liquid.
• 
Solid must be heated
3.  EVAPORATION: a
change from liquid to gas
• 
liquid must be heated
4.  CONDENSATION: a
change from gas to liquid
• 
gas must be cooled
What are other physical properties of matter?
A.  DENSITY: the amount of matter packed into an object.
1.  Very dense objects have a lot mass for the space they take
up.
2.  Less dense objects have little matter for the space they
take up.
B.  DISPLACEMENT: the pushing aside of water by an object
1.  Larger and denser objects push more water aside than
smaller less dense objects
2.  Displacement can be used to measure volume
C.  BUOYANCY: the ability for an object to float in water.
1.  As gravity pulls down on an object, the water pushes up on
the object
2.  Buoyancy is related to displacement
a.  The more buoyant, the less displacement
b.  The less buoyant, the more displacement
What are other physical properties of matter?
D. FLUIDITY: the ability of a substance to flow.
1. 
2. 
Solids have no fluidity because the molecules are too tightly packed to
change shape easily
Liquids and gases are considered fluids because their molecules are
loose enough to change shape.
E. VISCOSITY: the way in which a liquid flows
1. 
2. 
Some liquids are able to flow better than others depending on how
thick or thin they are
Low viscosity means a liquid is thin and flows easily, high viscosity
means a liquid is thick and does not flow easily
F. SPECIFIC GRAVITY: the density of a liquid as compared to
water.
1.  If a liquid is very dense, there is more matter in the liquid for
gravity to pull down on
2.  Liquids are tested against water for their specific gravity