1.S: Chemistry and Matter (Summary)

Chemistry is the study of matter, which is anything that has mass and takes up space. Chemistry is one branch of science, which is the study of the natural universe. Like all branches of science, chemistry relies on the scientific method, which is a process of learning about the world around us. In the scientific method, a guess or hypothesis is tested through experiment and measurement.

 

Matter can be described in a number of ways. Physical properties describe characteristics of a sample that do not change the chemical identity of the material (size, shape, color, and so on), while chemical properties describe how a sample of matter changes its chemical composition. A substance is any material that has the same physical and chemical properties throughout. An element is a substance that cannot be broken down into chemically simpler components. The smallest chemically identifiable piece of an element is an atom. A substance that can be broken down into simpler chemical components is a compound. The smallest chemically identifiable piece of a compound is a molecule.

Two or more substances combine physically to make a mixture. If the mixture is composed of discrete regions that maintain their own identity, the mixture is a heterogeneous mixture. If the mixture is so thoroughly mixed that the different components are evenly distributed throughout, it is a homogeneous mixture. Another name for a homogeneous mixture is a solution. Substances can also be described by their phase: solid, liquid, or gas.

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