1

Chapter # 7 PROPERTIES OF MATTER

STATES OF MATTER
There are three four states of matter. Among these states solid, liquid and gas are basic states.
All the material objects around us belong to any one of these states.
Properties of solids
• The molecules are closely packed together and occupy minimum space.
• The molecules usually arranged in a regular pattern called lattice.
• There is a large number of particles per unit volume. That is why solids have
the highest densities.
• The forces of attraction between particles of solids are very strong.
• The particles are not able to change positions.
• The particles vibrate about fixed positions thus are not entirely stationary.
• This explains why solids have fixed shapes and volumes
Properties of liquids
• The molecules are slightly further apart compared to that of solids.
• The molecules occur in clusters.
• There is slightly a smaller number of particles per unit volume compared to
solids.
• This why liquids have relatively high densities.
• The forces of attraction between particles are strong.
• The particles are free to move about within the liquid.
• These features explain why liquids have fixed volumes, but take the shape of
the container.
Properties of gases
• The molecules are very far apart.
• The molecules are arranged randomly and are free to move with very high
speeds.
• There is small number of particles per unit volume.
• The forces of attraction between particles are negligible.
• The particles are able to move freely in random directions at very high speeds.
• The particles occupy any available space.

Human body consists of all three

states of matter.
1. Solid in the form of organs.
2. Liquid in the form of blood.
3. Gas in the form of Oxygen and
carbon dioxide for respiration.

Prepared by: Shoukat Hussain (+923129752223)

 Water is different from o t h e r s u b s t a n c e s because it is less dense in its solid state (ice),
than its liquid state (water) is due to anomalous behavior of water. 2

FORCES AND KINETIC THEORY

According to the Kinetic molecular model molecules of gases have large kinetic energy as a
result there are no forces of attraction between them as a result molecules of gases can move
freely and go farther apart. This is why gases can occupy any available space and can be
compressed easily. Boiling and melting points of gases are also very low because of this reason.
The molecules of liquids as compared to that of the gases have less kinetic energy hence
intermolecular forces come into play. That is why the molecules of liquids are very close to each
other but still free to move. therefore, liquids do not have fixed shape but fixed volume. The
melting and boiling points of liquids are also high as compared to gases. The molecules of solids
have extremely lowest energies therefore experience strong attractive forces and cannot move
freely but only have small vibrations about mean positions. this gives solid a fixed shape and
volume. That is why densities, melting and boiling points of solids are very high.
Conversion of states
The state of a substance can be changed either by heating or by cooling it.
when a solid substance is heated, the molecules start
to vibrate more and more strongly. Eventually, the
molecules vibrate more violently and inter molecular
forces become weak. As a result, material becomes a
liquid, if process of heating is continued further, then
molecules have sufficient energy to overcome all of
the attractive forces as a result substance becomes a
gas.
When a gas is cooled the molecules move more slowly
and collide with one another, may stick together and
force of attraction between molecules increases. Keep
cooling the gas and eventually all of the molecules
stick together to form a liquid. Further cooling will
cause all the molecules to stick together to
form a solid.
The terms for these changes in the state are:
Melting: conversion from solid to liquid.
Boiling: conversion from liquid to gas.
Condensing: conversion from gas to liquid.
Freezing: conversion from liquid to solid.
Evaporation: conversion from liquid to gas. Evaporation is different from boiling.

Water is different from o t h e r s u b s t a n c e s because it is less dense in its solid state (ice), than its liquid state
(water).

Prepared by: Shoukat Hussain (+923129752223)

 3

GASES AND THE KINETIC THEORY

Kinetic molecular theory clearly describes the properties and behavior of gases,
The behavior of gases
• The molecules in the gases have relatively large distance between them.
• The molecules in the gases move about very quickly.
• A gas molecule moves in a straight line. It changes its direction only when
1. it collides with another gas molecule.
2. with the walls of its container.
• After collision it moves away in a new direction.
• Since gas molecules collide many times each second. Therefore, the motion of molecules
is constant and random.
The behavior of a gas can be described completely by its pressure, volume and temperature.
Effect Pressure
As pressure is defined as the force per unit area. All the gases exert
pressure on the walls of their container by collision of molecules only
when they collide with the walls. The number of collisions is
proportional to the number of molecules. If the number of molecules
is doubled then number of collisions will also be doubled hence the
pressure is also doubled.
Pressure of a gas can also be increased by
compressing it. This is done by reducing the
size of the gas container. The gas molecules have been compressed into a
smaller volume so they will collide more frequently with the walls of
container and creates more pressure. If the gas is compressed to half its
original volume its pressure will be doubled.
Effect of Volume
The space occupied by substance is known as volume. The gas has no definite volume because
the molecules of the gas are far away from each other and can move freely at high speeds.
Therefore, gas always takes up the shape and volume of its container
Effect Temperature
The temperature of a gas is determined by the average translational kinetic energy of its
molecules. If a gas is heated the average translational kinetic energy of its molecules increases
and temperature of the gas rises. If a gas is cooled down the average translational kinetic energy
of its molecules decreases and temperature of the gas falls.
Pressure - volume relationship in gases

Robert Boyle, an English physicist and chemist in 1662, studied

the relationship between pressure and volume of a gas as:
The volume of a fixed mass of a gas is inversely proportional to
its pressure, provided its temperature remains constant.
Mathematically,
𝟏
𝑽∝
𝑷

Prepared by: Shoukat Hussain (+923129752223)

 4

𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕
𝑽=
𝑷
𝑷𝑽 = 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕
Using above result, at constant temperature, we can write,
Initial pressure x initial volume = Final pressure x final volume
P1V1=P2V2
The graph between “p” and “V” and 1/V

Aerosols, such as spray paints, use the Boyle’s law in their working mechanism.

Applications of (p-V) relationship of a gas “Boyle's law”

Prepared by: Shoukat Hussain (+923129752223)