Characteristics of Particles of Matter: Attraction Space and Motion

Matter is referred to as anything that has mass and takes up space. Different forms of matter include pens, paper, clips, sand, air, ice, and so on. Every substance is made up of thousands of microscopic particles. These particles are generally not visible to the naked eye since they are tiny in size. 

Key takeaway: Matter, Substance, Particles, Kinetic energy, Inter-particle

---

Characteristics of Particles of Matter 

Every substance is made up of particles. Some properties can be found in these particles. They have the ability to change a substance's state and attributes (physical and chemical). The following are the three characteristics that particles of matter exhibit.

1. Space between Particles: 

Every particle in a matter has a small space between them. This is the principle that underpins a substance's solubility in other substances. Let's look at an example to help us understand.

Pour a glass of water. Add a teaspoon of salt or sugar and stir well. The water is still clear, as one can see. This happens because salt/sugar particles get into the interparticle spaces between the water particles. This demonstrates that voids exist between particles of a substance. More salt/sugar will dissolve until the space between the water particles is completely filled.

Space between Particles

2. Constant State of Motion: 

The particles of matter travel in a random pattern all the time. They are facilitated in this movement by their kinetic energy. The mobility of particles in a substance is demonstrated by the spreading of ink in a glass beaker, the scent of agarbattis, etc. Diffusion is a phenomenon that occurs when particles of two different forms of matter combine on their own. When the temperature rises, particle diffusion accelerates. The kinetic energy of the particles increases as the temperature rises, causing them to move faster.

Motion in Solid, Liquid and Gas Particles

3. Attraction between Particles: 

Take a pen, an iron rod, and a stick of chalk. Break as many of these as you can. The question is  Which of these is the hardest to break? It is definitely the iron rod since it is a lot more powerful in comparison to the other two components. What makes something more durable? The inter-particle force of attraction holds the particles in them together, acting between the particles of every substance. We must overcome this force in order to break something. The force's strength varies depending on the substance.The physical condition of any substance is essentially determined by the inter-particle force of attraction and the kinetic energy of the particles.

Attraction between Particles

---

Physical Properties of Matter

Scientists have been studying the chemical and physical properties of matter for a long time. They define matter as something that has mass and occupies space in simple terms (that is volume). As a result, everything we see is made up of matter. Stars that glimmer, the sun that shines, the food we consume, the bricks we used to construct houses, water in oceans and rivers, mountains, and so on. All of these can be grouped together under the category of matter. Is all matter that we observe, however, the same in terms of physical properties? A block of wood is obviously continuous, whereas sand particles are coarse. Salt particles are soluble in water, whereas sand particles are not. Physical attributes refer to all of these characteristics.

Activity for Physical Properties of Matter

Let's use an activity to learn about certain physical properties.

1. Take 5-6 potassium permanganate crystals and dissolve them in 300 mL of water.
2. Pour 20 mL of this solution into a beaker containing 100 mL of fresh water.
3. Repeat the procedure by taking 20 mL of the aforesaid solution and pouring it into another beaker containing 100 mL of pure water.
4. Continue to dilute the solution in this manner for another 8 to 10 times.
5. Take note of the colour of the final solution.

The solution in the last beaker is pale pink, as we can see. As a result, we can deduce that even a trace amount of potassium permanganate can alter the colour of a solution. As a result, we can claim that matter can be further broken down into millions of microscopic fragments. In nature, this piece is indestructible.

---

Things to Remember

• Any entity with mass and the ability to occupy space is considered matter. There are various sorts of matter that we may encounter in our environment, and they can exist in one of three states: solid, liquid, or gas at any given time.
• These particles possess certain characteristics and are capable of influencing property states. These features of the substance can be both physical and chemical.
• There is a small void or space in every particle of substance. These properties might be defined as the principle that supports a substance's solubility in other substances.
• The existence of kinetic energy in matter explains why particles in matter show continuous motion.
• The diffusion of these particles into the substance gets faster as the temperature rises.

Also Read: 

---