Activity 1: Which is matter, which is not?

Objectives:

After performing this activity, you should be able to:

1. describe common properties of matter;
2. distinguish properties of matter from those of non-matter; and
3. demonstrate the skill of measuring mass.

Materials Needed:
1 teaspoon sugar in a plastic cup or small beaker
½ cup tapwater
1 piece, stone or small rock
1 piece, ball (basketball, volleyball, or small beach ball)
3 pieces of leaves (from any plant or tree)
5 small wide-mouthed bottles or cups or 150-mL or 200-mL beakers
1 platform balance or weighing scale
1 small air pump

Procedure:

1. Among the materials displayed in front of you, which do you think is classified as matter? Put a check (/) under the
appropriate column in Table 1. You may make a table similar to the one below. With your group mates, discuss
the reason to explain your answer for each sample. Write your answer in the last column.

Table 1.Identifying which is matter

Sample Is the sample matter? Reason for your answer

Yes No Not sure
Sugar granules
Water
Stone
Air inside ball
Leaves
Smoke
Heat
Light

2. If your group cannot agree on a common answer, you may put a check mark under “not sure” and write all the
reasons given by the members of your group.

Q1. What similarities do you observe among the first five given samples? Write these common characteristics.

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Q2. Does each sample have a measurable mass? Prove your answer by demonstrating how you measure the mass
of each sample. Record the mass you got for each sample.

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Q3. Do you think that each sample occupies space? Write the reason(s) for your answer.

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Q4. How about smoke? Does it have mass? Does it occupy space? Explain your answer.

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Q5. Do you think that heat and light have mass? Do they occupy space? Explain your answer.

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