WODSS SCIENCE
SNC 1DI
NAME: _________________________
Date :____________________
1.2 PROPERTIES OF MATTER (p.16-18)
When you choose your clothes, your lunch, or your shampoo, you are making choices based on the
PROPERTIES of matter. Properties help identify matter.
A physical property is a characteristic or description of a substance that may help to identify it. A
physical property does not involve _____________________________________________________.
Physical properties are observed using your five senses. Which of the senses can be dangerous to
use when determining a property of matter? Why?
Complete the following chart (Table 1)
Property
Describe the Property
Sense Used to Describe
States of Matter One physical property of matter is its state - whether it is solid, liquid, or gas at room
temperature. (Complete the following chart using the bottom of page 16)
State
Solid
Liquid
Gas
Shape
Volume
Example
Hardness is a measure of the resistance of a solid to being scratched or dented. A harder material
will scratch or dent a softer one. Rank the following substances from hardest to softest: steel nails,
chalk, glass, diamond. ____________________________________________________________
Malleability is the ability for a material to be hammered into thin sheets or bent into ______________
_________________. An example of a malleable object is:___________________________
Decide if the following are malleable or brittle (the opposite of malleable).
Tin
Rock
Chalk
Steel
Ductility is the ability for a material to be drawn out into long, thin wires.
Give an example of a ductile material: _________________________________________
Melting and Boiling Points - The temperatures at which substances change state are characteristic
physical properties. Ice melts at ________ °C and boils or turns from liquid to vapour at ______ oC.
Why is it important to say “at room temperature” when we are talking about the state of a substance?
Crystal form - Solids can exist in different forms. Crystals are the solid forms of many ___________
in which you can see a definite structure of cubes or blocks with a regular pattern.
What examples of crystals do you know? ________________________________________________
Define solubility: __________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Example: _____________________ is soluble in water, but ____________________ is insoluble.
Viscosity refers to how easily a liquid flows: the thicker the liquid, the more viscous it is.
Which is more viscous? Water or oil? _____________________________________________
Density is:________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________. It is usually expressed as kg/m3, g/cm3, g/mL, or g/L.
Which is more dense: a Styrofoam cup, or a paper clip? ____________________________
Physical Properties - Questions
Name two physical properties that are quantitative: _______________________________________
The following pairs of substances look very similar, so you may not be able to tell them apart just by
looking at them. For each pair, identify a property that would help you to distinguish between them.
The first one has been done for you:
a) water and vinegar: odour (or you could also say boiling point or density)
b) white sand and sugar: _____________________________________________
c) vegetable oil and apple juice: ________________________________________
d) water and salt water: _______________________________________________
A Chemical Property describes: _____________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Combustibility (flammable). Describes the ability of a substance to react with oxygen to produce
______________________________________________________________________________.
A substance that burns when exposed to a flame is said to be _________________________ or
_________________________. Give two examples: __________________________________
Give an example of a non-combustible material: _______________________________________
Describe the property Reaction with Acid using examples:
Define alloy: _____________________________________________________________________
Why is it important to understand properties of matter when creating new products for the human
body?