🧪 The Particulate Nature of Matter –
Detailed Notes (Form One)
1. What is Matter?
Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space.
Everything around us — air, water, soil, plants, animals, plastic, metal — is made of
matter.
Matter can exist in different forms (solid, liquid, gas).
2. The Particle Theory of Matter
Scientists use the particle theory to explain how matter behaves. The main ideas are:
1. All matter is made up of tiny particles.
o These particles are too small to see, even with a classroom microscope.
o Example: when sugar dissolves in tea, the particles spread out so we cannot
see them.
2. Particles are always moving.
o In solids, they vibrate in place.
o In liquids, they slide past each other.
o In gases, they move freely in all directions.
3. There are spaces between particles.
o The spaces are very small in solids, bigger in liquids, and very large in gases.
4. Particles attract each other.
o This is why solids keep their shape and liquids stick together.
o In gases, attraction is very weak because particles are far apart.
5. The more energy particles have, the faster they move.
o Heating gives particles more energy → they move faster.
o Cooling removes energy → they move slower.
3. States of Matter
a) Solids
Particles are closely packed in a regular arrangement.
They vibrate only but do not move freely.
Solids have:
o Fixed shape (don’t flow).
o Fixed volume (do not expand to fill a container).
Example: stone, ice, wood.
b) Liquids
Particles are close together but not fixed.
They slide past each other, so liquids can flow.
Liquids have:
o No fixed shape (take the shape of the container).
o Fixed volume (do not expand to fill a container).
Example: water, milk, oil.
c) Gases
Particles are far apart and move very quickly in all directions.
They can be compressed (squeezed into a smaller space).
Gases have:
o No fixed shape.
o No fixed volume (expand to fill the container).
Example: air, oxygen, carbon dioxide.
4. Changes of State
Matter can change from one state to another when heated or cooled:
Melting: Solid → Liquid (ice → water).
Freezing: Liquid → Solid (water → ice).
Evaporation/Boiling: Liquid → Gas (water → steam).
Condensation: Gas → Liquid (steam → water).
Sublimation: Solid → Gas without liquid stage (e.g. dry ice, iodine).
Why?
Heating gives particles more energy, making them move faster and break apart.
Cooling removes energy, slowing down particles so they come closer together.
5. Evidence for the Particle Nature of Matter
a) Diffusion
The movement of particles from a region of high concentration to low
concentration until they are evenly spread.
Example: smell of perfume spreading in a room, ink spreading in water.
b) Brownian Motion
Random, zigzag movement of tiny particles when suspended in a liquid or gas.
Example: smoke particles moving randomly in still air when seen under a microscope.
This shows that air particles (which are invisible) are constantly moving and hitting
the smoke particles.
6. Applications of the Particle Theory
Explains why:
o Solids are rigid.
o Liquids flow.
o Gases can be compressed.
o Substances expand when heated (particles move faster and spread out).
o Ice floats on water (water expands when freezing).
✍️Revision Questions
1. Define matter and give two examples.
2. State the five main ideas of the particle theory of matter.
3. Compare the arrangement of particles in solids, liquids, and gases.
4. Explain why gases can be compressed but solids cannot.
5. What is diffusion? Give one example from daily life.
6. What is Brownian motion and what does it prove?
7. Match the following changes of state with their names:
o (a) Ice turning into water
o (b) Steam turning into water
o (c) Dry ice disappearing into gas
8. Why does heating make matter expand?