Name: ___________________________

The Particle Theory of Matter: More Practice

Use your prior knowledge, your notes, and your textbook (particularly section 5.1) to help you answer the following
questions. You can also replay the Eureka episodes on YouTube (Molecules in Solids, Molecules in Liquids,
Evaporation & Condensation, & Expansion & Contraction)

1. Define matter: ________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Complete the following statements that summarize the points of the particle theory of matter:

i. All matter is made up of extremely tiny ___________________

ii. Each pure substance has its own kind of particle. These particles are _______________________ to each
other, but different from the particles of other pure substances.

iii. Particles ___________________ each other

iv. Particles are always ______________________

v. Particles at high temperature move at a ______________________ rate than particles at lower temperature.

3. Complete the following table to characterize particles in the three states of matter:

State Solid Liquid Gas

Diagram illustrating
particles

Relative particle
distance

Relative particle rate of

motion

Relative particle
attraction

Relative volume

Shape in relation to its

container

Compressibility
4. Explain the following phenomena using particle theory concepts:

a) Sidewalks are designed with cracks between the slabs.

b) If someone is wearing perfume, the people closest smell it first, and only later do people farther away.

c) Air needs to be added to a car's tires in the winter to keep them at the proper pressure.

d) When a kettle of water boils, steam comes out of the spout.

e) You can see the steam coming out of a kettle at first, but then it disappears.

f) An aerosol can explodes when heated in a fire.