Properties of Matter Summative Study Sheet (9/30)
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Physical properties include size (measured using a ruler), mass, volume, shape, relative density, smell, texture,
magnetism, melting/boiling point (measured using a thermometer), states of matter and solubility (ability to
dissolve in water).
Relative Density
 Density is why matter sinks or floats.
 When matter is less dense it will float in whatever liquid it is in.
 When matter is more dense it will sink in whatever liquid it is in.
The clay boat, plastic duck and
plastic cup are less dense than
water. The clay ball, steel nail and
steel spoon are more dense than
water.
Conductor of Electricity
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Metals are generally good
conductors of electricity.
This means that electricity
easily flows through them.
Rubber, glass, paper and
wood do not let electricity
flow through them so they
are called insulators.
.
Mixtures
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A mixture combines two or more materials without changing their properties. (characteristics)
Mixtures can be easily separated.
Many mixtures will keep some properties of the materials that go into them like raisins mixed into your
cereal.
Examples: salad, chex mix, bag of jelly beans, lucky charms cereal
Melting and Boiling Point
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The boiling point of water is 100°C and the
melting/freezing point of water is 0°C.
Every substance has a different boiling and
melting/freezing point. For example: Pure water boils at
100°C but salt water boils at a slightly higher temperature.
The boiling, melting/freezing point is constant. It doesn’t
change unless you change the substance.
Magnetism: the force of repelling
(pushing) or attraction (pulling)
between two poles of a magnet.
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Magnets are attracted to only
certain types of metal. They
are NOT attracted to: glass,
plastic or the metals gold,
silver, copper, and aluminum
Conductor of Thermal Energy
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Metal are generally good conductors of heat. This means that heat will easily flow through them.
Rubber, wood and plastic do not let heat flow through them easily so they are called insulators.
When you are using temperature data to determine if a material is a good conductor or insulator you
should always look at the change in temperature. A good conductor will let the temperature change
more because heat is able to freely move into or out of the container. A good insulator will not let
the temperature change as much because heat is not able to freely move into or out of the container.
Solutions
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Solutions are formed when one or more substances dissolve in another.
When a material dissolves in a solution, it separates into tiny specks too small to be seen. A solution is a
special type of mixture.
For example, when you add sugar to your cereal, the sugar dissolves in the milk to form a solution. Sugar
(solid) and milk (liquid) combine to make a solution because the sugar completely dissolves in the milk. The
same is true for salt and water or sugar and water.
To separate a liquid-solid solution like salt water, you must evaporate away the liquid. This will leave behind
the solid.
Separating Mixtures and Solutions
Method
Description
Picking Apart
Using your hands, tweezers, or tongs to separate objects.
Filtering/Straining
Using a tool with holes in it to which catches the larger
particles or objects and lets the smaller objects fall through
the holes.
Using Density
-Adding water to a container to make things that are less
dense than water float to the top.
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Using Magnetism
Using a magnet to attract items that are made of iron,
nickel, cobalt, or steel. Things that are not made of those
metals will not stick to the magnets.
Heating water to its boiling point so that the water
evaporates and leaves behind what was dissolved in it.
Using Evaporation
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Examples:
1. Separating worms and ants.
2. Separating the croutons out of a salad.
3. Picking up seashells off of a beach.
1. separating noodles and water
2. separating gold chunks from sand and
water
3. Removing a fish out of an aquarium
1. Melting steel and separating the metals
that make it by their density.
2. Floating logs down a river because they
will float on water.
3. Separating water and oil.
1. Separating aluminum cans (soda cans)
from steel cans (vegetable cans).
2. Separating aluminum from steel nails.
1. Separating sugar dissolved in water
2. Separating salt dissolved in water
To use a triple beam balance:
To determine the mass of an object using a
triple beam balance you much add together
the numbers each of the beams is pointing
to. For example: The beaker on the left has
a mass of 444 grams. The beams are pointing
to 400, 40 and 4. When added together they
equal 444 grams.