P4 Science — Matter

Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space.

• Both living and non-living things are made of matter.
• Examples of matter: marbles, water, air.
• Non-matter examples: light, music, shadows (these do not have mass or occupy space).

Mass = amount of matter in an object.

• Units: kilograms (kg), grams (g).
• Tools to measure mass: beam balance, weighing scale, electronic balance.

Volume = amount of space an object occupies.

• Larger volume → occupies more space.
• Units: cubic centimetres (cm³), millilitres (ml), litres (l).
• Tools to measure volume: measuring cylinder, beaker, syringe.

Solids and Liquids:

• If a syringe is filled with solids or liquids, the plunger cannot be pushed in.
• Solids and liquids have a definite volume and cannot be compressed.

Gases:

• If a syringe is filled with gas, the plunger can be pushed in.
• Gases do not have a definite volume and can be compressed.

Example: A 100 cm³ flask containing 10 cm³ of water is connected to a pump. Air is pumped into the flask.

• The final volume of air in the flask = 100 cm³ − 10 cm³ = 90 cm³.
• Gases have no fixed volume and expand to fill whatever space is available.

Example: Two blocks X and Y are placed on a balance scale and in identical beakers of water.

• If block Y sinks lower on the balance, Y has greater mass than X.
• If both blocks cause the same rise in water level, they have the same volume.

Matter occupies space and displaces other matter.

Example 1 — Stone in water:

• The water level rises when a stone is placed in a beaker.
• The stone occupies space and displaces the water, causing the water level to rise.

Example 2 — Water between marbles:

• There are air gaps between marbles in a beaker.
• When water is poured in, it will displace the air in the air gaps.

Example 3 — Sealed bottle:

• If the opening of a bottle is completely sealed, air inside occupies space and cannot escape.
• This prevents water from flowing freely into the bottle.

Example 4 — Gap in the opening:

• If there is a gap between the funnel and the bottle neck, air can escape.
• This allows water to displace the air and flow freely into the bottle.

• Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space.
• Mass measures the amount of matter (kg, g). Volume measures the space occupied (cm³, ml, l).
• Solids have definite shape and volume. Liquids have no definite shape but definite volume. Gases have neither.
• Solids and liquids cannot be compressed; gases can be compressed.
• Gases expand to fill their container — they take up whatever space is available.
• Matter occupies space and displaces other matter (e.g., stone in water, water between marbles).