AHLCON INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY
CHAPTER 1-MATTER IN OUR SURROUNDINGS
CHAPTER AT A GLANCE
● Definition of matter:
Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space.
● Physical nature of Matter
○ Matter is made up of particles that vary in size, shape and nature. These small
particles are called atoms.
○ The particles of matter are too small so they cannot be seen by naked eyes.
● Characteristics of particles:
○ Large number of particles constitute matter.
○ Particles of matter are very small in size.
○ Particles of matter have spaces between them.
○ Particles of matter are continuously in motion.
○ Particles of matter attract each other.
○ The force that exists between the particles is called interparticle force of
attraction.
○ The force of attraction between particles of solid, liquid and gas can be arranged
in decreasing order as: Solid > Liquid > Gas.
○ Matter around us exists in three states: solid, liquid and gas.
Properties of solids, liquids and gases
Matter can be classified as solid, liquid and gas on the basis of interparticle forces and the
arrangement of particles.
Property Solids Liquids Gases
Shape Fixed shape No fixed shape. No fixed shape
(They take up the
shape of the container
in which they are
kept.)
Volume Fixed volume Fixed volume. No fixed volume
Arrangement of Regular and closely Random and little Random and more
molecules arranged sparsely arranged sparsely arranged
Interparticle Very less More than solids Very large
space
Movement Negligible Depends on Free and random
interparticle
attraction
Compressibility Negligible Intermediate Gases are highly
compressible
(The liquefied
petroleum gas (LPG)
cylinder that we get
in our home for
cooking or the
oxygen supplied to
hospitals in cylinders
is compressed gas.)
Fluidity Solids are rigid Fluid Fluid
(Flows from higher to (Flows in all
lower level) directions)
Diffusion Negligible/ least Moderate Maximum
● Interconversion of States of Matter
The phenomenon of change of matter from one state to another and then back to the
original state by changing the conditions like temperature and pressure is called the
interconversion states of matter. Matter can change its state.
⮚ Water can exist in three states of matter:
(i) Solid, as ice,
(ii) Liquid, as water, and
(iii) Gas, as water vapour.
The states of matter are interconvertible. The state of matter can be changed by changing
temperature or pressure.
S.I. unit of temperature is Kelvin. T (K) = t (°C) + 273.
Melting Point: The temperature at which solid melts to form liquid at atmospheric pressure is
called melting point. Melting point of ice is 273.16 K (0°C)
The melting point of a solid is an indication of the strength of the force of attraction
between its particles.
Boiling Point: The temperature at which a liquid starts boiling at the atmospheric pressure is
known as boiling point. Boiling point of water is 373 K (100° C).
Latent heat of vaporization: Latent heat of vaporisation is the heat energy required to change
1 kg of a liquid to gas at atmospheric pressure at its boiling point.
Latent heat of fusion: Latent heat of fusion is the amount of heat energy required to change 1
kg of solid into liquid at its melting point.
Freezing: The process in which liquid changes into solid is known as freezing. For example,
freezing of water (liquid) into ice (solid).
Sublimation: Sublimation is the change of a solid directly into the gaseous state without
passing through the liquid state upon heating.
Sublimable substances - naphthalene, camphor, iodine, ammonium chloride
EVAPORATION
• Evaporation takes place only at the surface of the liquid (surface phenomenon) boiling can
take place in all parts of the liquid (bulk phenomenon)
• Evaporation is a surface phenomenon. Particles from the surface gain enough energy to
overcome the forces of attraction present in the liquid and change into the vapour state.
• Evaporation causes cooling.
• The rate of evaporation is affected by the surface area exposed to atmosphere,
temperature, humidity and wind speed.
Factors affecting evaporation
• Temperature: The rate of evaporation increases with an increase in temperature
• Surface area: The rate of evaporation increases with an increase in surface area.
• Humidity: The rate of evaporation decreases with an increase in humidity.
• Wind speed: The rate of evaporation increases with an increase in wind speed
Applications of Evaporative Cooling
• To keep water cool, it is kept in earthenware containers. Similar to the pores in cotton fabric,
the pores in the earthen pot’s surface area allow for more evaporation.
• To keep our body cool, we sweat a lot. Our body’s water evaporates, using energy in the
process and lowering our body temperature as a result.
• We dress in cotton during the summer. Since cotton is a powerful water absorbent, it
allows more perspiration to come into touch with the air, promoting more evaporation. We have
a cooling effect when wearing cotton clothing because of this.
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
1. Diagrammatically represent the interconversion of three states of matter and name the
processes associated.
Answer:
2. Tabulate the differences between solids, liquids and gases in terms of Compressibility, volume
and interparticle space.
Answer:
Property Solids Liquids Gases
Volume Fixed volume Fixed volume. No fixed volume
Interparticle Very less More than solids Very large
space
Compressibility Negligible Intermediate Gases are highly
compressible.
3. Give reason for the following observations:
1. A gas fills completely the vessel in which it is kept
2. A gas exerts pressure on the walls of the container.
Answer:
1. There is a low force of attraction between gas particles. The particles in the filled vessel are
free to move about.
2. Gaseous particles have the weakest attraction force. They are always moving in a haphazard
manner . When a gas particle collides with the container’s walls, it exerts force and thus pressure
on the wall.
4. The melting point of a solid is an indication of the strength of the force of attraction between
its particles. Explain.
Answer. The energy supplied by heat overcomes the forces of attraction between the particles. A
stage is reached when the solid melts and becomes liquid. This point is termed as the melting
point. Hence, this point can be used as an indication of the strength of forces of attraction
between its particles. Greater the force of attraction, higher is the melting point.
5. (i) Convert the following temperature to celsius scale:
a) 300 K. b) 573 K
Answer a) 127° C b) 300° C
(ii) Convert the following temperature to kelvin scale:
a) 25°C. b) 373°C
Answer a) 298.15 K b) 646.15 K
6. Write three differences between evaporation and boiling:
Answer:
Evaporation Boiling
Liquid changes to gaseous phase at Liquid changes to gaseous phase at boiling
temperature below boiling point point
Evaporation is a surface phenomenon Boiling is a bulk phenomenon
It is a slow process It is a fast process
7. Give reason for the following observations:
1. A desert cooler cools better on a hot dry day
2. Water kept in an earthen pot (matka) become cool during summer
3. Ice at 273 K causes more cooling than water at the same temperature
4. Steam causes more severe burns than water at 100°C
Answer 1. A desert cooler cools better on a hot dry day because on a hot dry day temperature is
high and humidity is less which helps in better evaporation. Evaporation increases with
decrease in humidity. Due to the higher rate of evaporation it gives better cooling effect.
2. The water kept in an earthen pot remains cool even in summer because of evaporation.
Earthen pot has a large number of tiny pores in its walls and some of the water molecules
continuously keep seeping through these pores to outside the pot. This water evaporates
continuously and takes the latent heat required for vaporization from the remaining water.
3. Ice at 273 K will absorb heat energy or latent heat from the medium to overcome the
fusion to become water. Hence the cooling effect of ice is more than the water at same
temperature because water does not absorb this extra heat from the medium.
4. Steam will produce more severe burns than boiling of water because steam has more heat
energy than water due to its latent heat of vaporisation
8. Define the following terms: (a) Sublimation (b) Latent heat of fusion
Ans-
● Sublimation is the change of a solid directly into the gaseous state without passing
through the liquid state upon heating.
● Latent heat of fusion amount of heat energy required to change 1 kg of solid into liquid
at its melting point.
9. How will you liquefy atmospheric gases?
Ans- Atmospheric gases can be liquefied by applying pressure and lowering temperature
10. It is a hot summer day, Saanvi and Arman are wearing cotton and nylon clothes respectively.
Who do you think would be more comfortable and why?
Ans: Saanvi would be more comfortable than Arman. The reason is that we get a lot of sweat in
our bodies on a hot summer day. Cotton is a good absorber of water. It absorbs sweat from the
body and provides a larger surface area for evaporation which causes a more cooling effect.
11. Sponge though compressible is solid. Explain
Ans: Sponge is considered as solid because it has a defined volume and shape. It is compressible
because of tiny holes where the air is trapped.
12. Why does the temperature of a substance remain constant during its melting point or boiling
point?
Ans: The temperature of a substance remains constant during its melting and boiling point
because the change in any state of matter, as solid to liquid or liquid to gas, involves crossing the
latent heat of fusion which causes a difference in the intermolecular spacing of the molecules in
the substance.
13. What is diffusion?
Ans:The intermixing of molecules of one substance with that of the other is called diffusion.
14. Why do the gases exert more pressure on the walls of the container than the solids?
Ans: In gases, the particles move randomly at high speed and they collide with each other and
with the walls of the container
15. Explain why a small volume of water in a kettle can fill the kitchen with steam.
Ans- A small volume of water heated in kettle produces water vapour , which being a gas spread
in room due to weak inter molecular force of attraction between the vapour particles and very
high kinetic energy. Hence, a small volume of water in a kettle fill a kitchen with steam.
