Basic Building Blocks of Matter
Ever wondered what everything around you is actually made of? Atoms are the smallest particles that make up all matter, while molecules are formed when atoms team up. When these particles gain or lose electrons, they become ions with electric charges.
Matter exists in three main states based on how tightly packed particles are. Solids have particles packed closely together with restricted movement, liquids have particles farther apart with free movement, and gases have particles very far apart moving chaotically.
Understanding physical properties (like color or melting point) versus chemical properties (like flammability) is crucial for your exams. Physical properties don't change the substance's composition when measured, while chemical properties do involve composition changes.
Pure substances contain only one component (like elements such as gold or compounds like water), while mixtures combine several components. You can separate mixtures using techniques like filtration, distillation, or chromatography depending on what you're trying to separate.
Key Tip: Remember that elements contain only one type of atom, while compounds contain two or more different types of atoms bonded together.