Matter is anything that has mass and takes up space. Because
there are so many types of matter, it is helpful to use a classification
system to categorize the types of matter. The following diagram represents
a common type of classification system used for matter.
Matter
Anything that takes up space and has mass.
Atom
The smallest particle that has the properties of an element.
Molecule
The smallest unit of a substance that shows the properties
of that substance.
Properties
A physical characteristic used to describe something.
A molecule acts as a unit. Water is a molecule that is a unit of three
different atoms - two atoms of hydrogen and one atom of oxygen. Here is
an example:
One molecule of water has three atoms. Many, many millions
of water molecules together make up clouds, glasses of waters, rivers,
lakes, streams, glaciers, ice caps - the list goes on and on!
Got it?
Read each of the following descriptions. Determine if
it represents the definitions you learned for matter, atom, molecule,
or properties. Drag to find your choice for each description. Then highlight
the box below to check your answers.
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