MATTER IN OUR SURROUNDINGS

CHAPTER-1

1. What is matter, and give examples of different types of matter?

a. Matter is anything that occupies space and has mass. Examples
include air, water, stones, clouds, stars, plants, animals, a drop of water,
and a particle of sand.
2. Explain the concept of the Panch Tatva according to early Indian
philosophers.
a. Early Indian philosophers classified matter into five basic elements: air,
earth, fire, sky, and water. They believed that everything, living or
non-living, was made up of these five elements.
3. How did ancient Greek philosophers classify matter?
a. Ancient Greek philosophers had a similar classification of matter to the
Indian philosophers, identifying basic elements that composed all
things
4. Describe an experiment that demonstrates whether matter is continuous or
particulate.
a. Take a 100 mL beaker, fill it half with water, and dissolve some salt or
sugar. Observe any change in the water level. The fact that the salt or
sugar seems to disappear and spread throughout the water suggests
that matter is made up of particles that occupy the spaces between
water particles.
5. What observations can you make when salt is dissolved in water?
a. When salt is dissolved in water, it spreads throughout the water and the
water level does not change, indicating that the salt particles fit into the
spaces between the water particles.
6. Explain how the experiment with potassium permanganate illustrates the
small size of particles in matter.
a. Dissolve 2-3 crystals of potassium permanganate in water and keep
diluting the solution. Even after several dilutions, the color remains
visible, showing that even a small amount of potassium permanganate
contains millions of tiny particles.
7. What is diffusion, and how is it affected by temperature?
● Diffusion is the intermixing of particles of two different types of matter
on their own. It becomes faster with an increase in temperature
because particles move more rapidly.
8. Describe an activity that shows particles of matter have space between them.
 ● Dissolving salt or sugar in water demonstrates that particles of these
substances occupy the spaces between water particles, indicating that
there is space between the particles of matter.
9. How do the activities with incense sticks and ink in water demonstrate the
movement of particles?
● The smell of an unlit incense stick is detected only when close, but
when lit, it is detected at a distance, showing particles move more
rapidly when heated. Adding a drop of ink to water and observing its
spread shows that particles move to fill available space.
10. What are the three states of matter, and how do they differ in terms of shape,
volume, and compressibility?
● The three states of matter are solid, liquid, and gas. Solids have a
definite shape and volume and are incompressible. Liquids have a
definite volume but take the shape of their container and are slightly
compressible. Gases have no definite shape or volume and are highly
compressible.
11. Provide examples of solids and explain their properties such as rigidity and
incompressibility.
● Examples of solids include a pen, book, needle, and wooden stick.
Solids have a definite shape, distinct boundaries, and fixed volume.
They maintain their shape under force, are rigid, and have negligible
compressibility.
12. How can the behavior of a rubber band, sugar, and sponge be explained in
terms of their solid state?
● A rubber band changes shape under force and regains its shape when
the force is removed, behaving as a solid. Sugar and salt take the
shape of their container, but each crystal maintains its shape,
indicating they are solids. A sponge has air trapped in it, which can be
expelled, allowing it to compress but still behaving as a solid.
13. What happens to the shape and volume of liquids when transferred to
different containers?
● Liquids take the shape of the container they are in but retain a fixed
volume. They flow easily and are not rigid but fluid.
14. Why do gases diffuse faster than solids and liquids?
● Gases diffuse faster because their particles move more rapidly and
have larger spaces between them compared to solids and liquids.
15. Describe the process and observations when ice melts into water and then
boils into steam.
● When ice melts into water, the temperature at which it starts melting
and completely turns into water is noted. On further heating, the water
boils and turns into steam, with the temperature at boiling also noted.
 This process involves the transition from solid to liquid to gas with an
increase in temperature.
16. Explain what happens at the molecular level during the melting and boiling of
water.
● When ice melts, the particles gain kinetic energy, move faster,
overcome attractive forces, and transition from a fixed position to more
freely moving. When water boils, the particles gain enough energy to
move rapidly and transition into the gaseous state, overcoming the
liquid's attractive forces.
17. Why does ice float on water despite solids generally being denser than
liquids?
● Ice floats on water because it is less dense than water. The molecular
structure of ice creates a lattice that takes up more space, making it
less dense.
18. In Activity 1.1, why does the level of water not change when salt is dissolved
in it?
● The salt particles occupy the spaces between the water particles,
resulting in no change in the overall water level.
19. What does Activity 1.5 suggest about the rate of mixing of solids in hot and
cold water?
● The activity shows that solids dissolve and mix faster in hot water than
in cold water because higher temperatures increase the kinetic energy
of the particles.
20. How does Activity 1.6 using human chains help understand the force of
attraction between particles?
● The activity demonstrates that different groups of students (particles)
held together with varying degrees of force (attraction) show that some
are easier to break (weaker forces) than others (stronger forces),
illustrating the varying strengths of attraction between particles in
different materials.
21. What property of matter is demonstrated when a diver cuts through water?
● This demonstrates that particles of matter have spaces between them,
allowing the diver to move through water.
22. How does the smell of hot sizzling food reach us from a distance compared
to cold food?
● Hot sizzling food emits particles that move faster and diffuse more
rapidly through the air, allowing the smell to reach us from a distance.
Cold food particles move slower and require proximity to be detected.
23. Explain why a wooden table is classified as a solid.
● A wooden table has a definite shape, distinct boundaries, and a fixed
volume. It is rigid and maintains its shape under force, properties
characteristic of a solid.
24. Why is it easier to move your hand through the air than through a solid block
of wood?
● Air particles have larger spaces between them and move more freely,
offering less resistance. A solid block of wood has closely packed
particles with strong attractive forces, making it difficult to move
through.