Matter & Its Properties

Science, Grade 3

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An object’s mass should not be confused with how much it weighs. For example, an object’s mass is the same no matter if it is on Earth or on the Moon. An object’s weight is different on the Moon than it is on Earth. Image courtesy of NASA. Properties of Matter A property of matter is a feature, trait, or characteristic. Matter can have many different properties. Properties are used to describe an object. Some properties of matter can be measured using tools, such as a balance to measure an object’s mass, and a graduated cylinder to measure the volume of liquids. Volume is the amount of space matter takes up. Solids, liquids, and gases all have volume. Mass is how much there is of something. Scientists most often use metric measurements when measuring matter. A property of an item may be its hardness, like a brick. Size is also a property of matter. The size of something has to do with how big, small, wide, or thin something is. The size of an object can be measured using the metric units millimeters (mm), centimeters (cm), and meters (m). Density is a property of matter that tells how much matter fits into a certain space. Buoyancy is also a property of matter. Buoyancy is whether an object sinks or floats in water. Everything around us is made of matter. Matter is anything that takes up space and has mass. All matter is made up of different kinds of particles that are combined together in different ways. The Periodic Table of the Elements An element is matter that is made up of one type of particle. An atom is the basic building block of matter that make up all objects. It is the tiniest particle of any element. The table in which scientists place and organize more than 100 different elements is called the periodic table. molecule model Hydrogen atom Molecules are made up of several different types of atoms. A third state of matter is gas. A gas is matter in which its particles are very far apart. Gas, like the air around us, has no shape and most gases are invisible. States of Matter Solid Liquid Gas Solid matter always has and keeps the same shape. A solid is matter in which its particles fit together tightly. An example of a solid is a rock. A liquid is a second state of matter in which the particles are close together, but not as close as in a solid. Liquids do not keep the same shape. Liquids take the shape of whatever container they are poured into. An example of a liquid is water. Matter and its Properties © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. 94-4308 www.newpathlearning.com
Describe properties of matter and ways to measure them. Mass ____________________________________ _________________________________________ Volume __________________________________ _________________________________________ Hardness __________________________________ _________________________________________ Size __________________________________ _________________________________________ Density __________________________________ _________________________________________ Buoyancy __________________________________ _________________________________________ An object’s mass should not be confused with how much it weighs. For example, an object’s mass is the same no matter if it is on Earth or on the Moon. An object’s weight is different on the Moon than it is on Earth. Image courtesy of NASA. Key Vocabulary Terms atom mass buoyancy matter density Periodic Table element size gas solid hardness volume liquid The Periodic Table of the Elements molecule model Hydrogen atom Molecules are made up of several different types of atoms. Gas What is matter? ________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ What is an element? _____________________________________ _____________________________________ What is the purpose of a periodic table? _____________________________________ _____________________________________ What is an atom? _____________________ _____________________ _____________________ States of Matter Solid Liquid Describe the three states of matter: Solid _________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Liquid ________________ ______________________ ______________ ______________________ ______________________ Gas __________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ Matter and its Properties © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. 94-4308 www.newpathlearning.com \|xiBAHBDy01737qzZ