Matter is anything which has mass and occupies space. A chair has a specific mass and it also occupies space, therefore, a chair is a matter. Some other examples are glass, chalk stick, bicycle, etc.
- Matter is made up of extremely small particles which are invisible to naked eye.
- Classification:
- Ancient Indian Philosophers believed that any living or non living thing is made up of panchtatva i.e. air, earth, fire, sky and water. Hence, they classified matter as panchtatva. Similar classification was carried by Ancient Greek Philosophers.
- Modern scientist classified matter on basis of its physical and chemical properties.
- Characteristics of particles of matter:
- Particles of matter have spaces between them. If salt is added in glass of water, salt gets dissolved in water and level of water do not rise in the glass. This suggest that salt particles gets adjusted in the spaces between water particles.
- Particles of matter are in continuous motion. Particles have kinetic energy which allows motion of particles. Due to motion particles gets easily adjusted between the spaces in the matter. This shows that particles ability to mix with each other. Mixing of particles of matter is carried out by process of diffusion. Also, motion of particles increases with the increase in temperature. Mixing of drop of ink in water is familiar example of continuous motion of matter.
- Particles of matter have forces of attraction between them. Force of attraction is different for different matter i.e. among three states of matter solid, liquid and gases; solids have higher force of attraction whereas, gases have lowest force of attraction.
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Keywords: Matter, Properties of particles of matter, Characteristics of particles of matter
This article is helpful for Class 9 Science
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Nicely explained!