(POM) Classification of Matter Lesson-2

Classification of Matter

The properties of matter, both physical and chemical, depend on the substances that matter is made of. Matter can exist either as a pure substance or as a combination of different substances. Please watch the short video below on the ways that matter can be classified.

To summarize how matter is classified, review the graphic organizer below.

Classification Graphic Organizer description Links to an external site.

An element is a pure substance. It cannot be separated into any other substances. There are more than 90 different elements that occur in nature.   In upcoming modules, we will look more closely at elements and the periodic table. It is important to note that each element has a unique set of properties that make it different from all other elements. The smallest particle of an element that still has the element's properties is an atom. Look at the pictures below for examples of a couple of elements and their properties.

Elements and Their Properties description Links to an external site.

There are millions of different substances in the world. That's because elements can combine in many different ways to form new substances. In fact, most elements are found in compounds. A compound is a unique substance that forms when two or more elements combine chemically. An example is water, which forms when hydrogen and oxygen combine chemically. A compound always has the same components in the same proportions. It also has the same composition throughout. The smallest particle of a compound that still has the compound's properties is a molecule. A molecule consists of two or more atoms that are joined together. For example, a molecule of water consists of two hydrogen atoms joined to one oxygen atom.  

Not all combined substances are compounds. Some are mixtures. A mixture is a combination of two or more substances in any proportion. The substances in a mixture may be elements or compounds. The substances don't combine chemically to form a new substance, as they do in a compound. Instead, they keep their original properties and just intermix. Examples of mixtures include salt and water in the ocean and gases in the atmosphere. We will be looking more in-depth at types of mixtures in an upcoming module.   Other examples are pictured below.

Mixtures description Links to an external site.

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