MATTER

Dr S. Lawrence
Kane Room 2.04B
simon.lawrence@ucc.ie

Chemistry: The Central Science

Sections 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 (12th Edition)

CLASSIFICATION OF MATTER
ATOM - the smallest unit of matter (H, Fe, Cl, Zn, C, O, etc.)
(made up of neutrons, protons and electrons)
MOLECULE - two or more atoms bound together
by chemical bonding (O2, NaCl, H2O, C6H12O6)
ELEMENT a collection of atoms of one atom type (H2, S8,
He, Cl2, Fen)
COMPOUND collections of different atom types
(H2O, FeCl3, CO2)
PURE SUBSTANCE collections of one identical molecule/atom
(H2O, S8)
MIXTURE collections of more than one atom or molecules
(H2O + CO2 + C6H12O6)

CLASSIFICATION OF MATTER
USING MODELS

ATOMS
OF AN ELEMENT

MOLECULES
OF AN ELEMENT

MOLECULES
OF A COMPOUND

e.g. He

e.g. H2

e.g. BF3

MIXTURE
OF ELEMENTS
AND A COMPOUND

ELEMENTS
Only one type of atoms.
Different elements have atoms containing different numbers
of protons (in the neutral atom).
Listed in the Periodic Table of Elements.
H

He

Li

Be

Ne

Na

Mg

Al

Si

Cl

Ar

Ca

Sc

Ti

Cr

Mn

Fe

Co

Ni

Cu

Zn

Ga

Ge

As

Se

Br

Kr

Rb

Sr

Zr

Nb

Mo

Tc

Ru

Rh

Pd

Ag

Cd

In

Sn

Sb

Te

Xe

Cs

Ba

La

Hf

Ta

Re

Os

Ir

Pt

Au

Hg

Tl

Pb

Bi

Po

At

Rn

Fr

Ra

Ac
Ce

Pr

Nd

Pm

Sm

Eu

Gd

Tb

Dy

Ho

Er

Tm

Yb

Lu

Th

Pa

Np

Pu

Am

Cm

Bk

Cf

Es

Fm

Md

No

Lr

MOLECULES
Molecules are groups of atoms joined together by chemical bonds.

Chemical bonds: attractive forces involving electrons

either shared by the atoms
or transferred to create ions of opposite charge.

PROPERTIES OF MATTER
Every substance has a unique set of properties
determined by the atoms present in the molecules
Physical - colour, density, melting point, boiling point
Chemical - the way the substance may react to form
other substances (flammability)

MATTER can be converted to ENERGY and vice versa

Einstein equation: E = mc2

PHYSICAL CHANGES AND PROPERTIES

Substances change their physical state, but not composition.
Cooling

Cooling

Steam

Water
Heating

GAS

Ice
Heating

LIQUID

SOLID

Mixtures form from, or can be separated into, their components.

CHEMICAL CHANGES
A chemical change is when new molecules are formed by
reaction of other atoms or molecules.
Called a chemical reaction
Described by a chemical equation: indicates the numbers
of atoms/molecules involved in the reaction.
Combustion

2 H2 + O2

Reactants

2 H2O + Energy

form

products

Atoms combine, but are neither created nor destroyed.

Chemical energy may be released as heat - thermodynamics.
Heating may also accelerate a chemical reaction - kinetics.

BALANCING EQUATIONS

Chemistry the Central Science: 3.1 (12th Edition)

Chemical Symbols
Chemical Meaning
Symbol
H 2O
One molecule of water
2H2O

Two molecules of water

H2O2

One molecule of
hydrogen peroxide

Composition
Two atoms of hydrogen and one
atom of oxygen
Four atoms of hydrogen and
two atoms of oxygen
Two atoms of hydrogen and two
atoms of oxygen

Thoughts for Balancing Equations

1

Chemical symbols stay the same,

i.e. cannot change subscripts.
H2O is water

H2O2 is hydrogen peroxide

The ONLY thing you can do is to put numbers in

front of formulae.

Can change H2O to 2H2O

3

Before you start, count each element it may

already be balanced!
(it does happen.)
Balanced No. of Reactants = No. of Products

Deal first with elements which occur in the fewest

formulae.

BALANCING CHEMICAL EQUATIONS - Combustion

1. Write the unbalanced chemical equation

C2H5OH + O2

CO2 + H2O

2. Balance the carbons first

C2H5OH +

O2

2 CO2 +

H2O

3. Balance the hydrogen

C2H5OH +

O2

2 CO2 + 3 H2O

4. Finally, balance oxygen

C2H5OH + 3 O2
5. Check the sums of atoms

2 CO2 + 3 H2O

EXAMPLE: Combustion of methanol

1. Write the unbalanced chemical equation
CH3OH + O2

CO2 + H2O

2. Balance the carbons first

CH3OH +

O2

CO2 +

H2O

3. Balance the hydrogen

CH3OH +

O2

CO2 + 2 H2O

4. Balance the oxygen

CH3OH + 3/2 O2

CO2 + 2 H2O

5. Multiply the equation by 2 to get whole numbers

2 CH3OH + 3 O2

2 CO2 + 4 H2O

O2

CO2

O2

CO

S8

O2

SO2

P4

Cl2

PCl3