Hey, my name is Kaeleigh and in this lesson we're going to learn all about
matter! Get ready to dive into some really tiny science. Let's get started.
Take a look around you right now. What do you see?
Probably not just trees like the meerkat sees. Maybe some different things like your computer,
a pencil, maybe even a snack! But what do all of these things have in common? They're all made out
of matter! Everything that you see is made out of matter, but what does that actually mean?
The definition of matter is anything that takes up space and has mass. That sounds
like pretty much everything I can think of which is true! Everything you see is made out of matter
but it's a bit more complex. Matter is made out of teeny tiny particles called atoms and molecules.
It is impossible to see an atom or molecule with your own eyes or even with a magnifying glass!
To give you an example of how small of an atom is, think about a single grain of sand.
Imagine you hold it on the tip of your finger. In that itty-bitty grain of sand you can fit 50
trillion atoms! A trillion is a very big number. 50 trillion is a 50 with 12 zeros behind it!
And a molecule is just two or more atoms stuck together by something called a bond.
Probably the most famous molecule is the water molecule also known as H2O.
That's because two hydrogen atoms bond tightly together with one oxygen atom.
Now that we know what matter really is, just atoms and molecules,
we can look at the different states we can find matter in!
Think about that water molecule. What are different states you have seen water in before?
As a solid like ice cubes, as a liquid like pool water, and as a gas like water vapor.
But any type of matter can be in the different states besides water. Think about a candle
burning. At first it is solid wax then it heats up and the wax melts into a liquid,
and if you keep the candle burning for a long time the wax eventually evaporates into a gas.
What are some other observable properties matter can have? Anything that we can
determine with our five senses like smell, color, taste, texture, sound, and mass.
It's important to remember that all of these properties are of the tiny
little atoms and molecules that make up the bigger object you can see with your eyes.
Scientists and engineers use these observable properties to determine mystery materials
that they find and to choose the right materials for projects and experiments.
You've learned a lot about matter. Play our games and do the at-home lab to discover
even more about matter and its properties! Have fun and remember to always be clever!