February 5, 2017
Properties of Water:
Water is very special for many reasons. Not only does it make sure we stay alive but it also has some cool properties to it. First, water is a polar substance. A polar substance is a substance where the amounts of electrons aren't split up evenly. In water, the electrons aren't split up evenly between the oxygen and hydrogen atoms. This polarity is what lets water dissolve any compound. Water is the best solvent, or material that dissolves things. Water can also hydrogen bond, and it can do so very well. Hydrogen bonds are weak bonds, or connections, based around hydrogen atoms. Since water is one part oxygen and two parts hydrogen, it can have up to four hydrogen bonds at once. These hydrogen bonds are the root of many of water's special properties. Water also has a property called cohesion. Cohesion is when molecules of the same thing are attracted to each other. Water is very cohesive because of the hydrogen bonds. You can see an example of this when you see droplets of water. Water also has adhesion, which is the same as cohesion except it's the attraction between two different things, in this case water and something else. Adhesion is what lets you take water up through a straw. Cohesion and adhesion work together in plants for what's called capillary action. This is when the plant takes water up through its roots and into its leaves. This is adhesion. Cohesion holds the water together as it moves up the plant. Those are the unique properties of water!
Properties of Water:
Water is very special for many reasons. Not only does it make sure we stay alive but it also has some cool properties to it. First, water is a polar substance. A polar substance is a substance where the amounts of electrons aren't split up evenly. In water, the electrons aren't split up evenly between the oxygen and hydrogen atoms. This polarity is what lets water dissolve any compound. Water is the best solvent, or material that dissolves things. Water can also hydrogen bond, and it can do so very well. Hydrogen bonds are weak bonds, or connections, based around hydrogen atoms. Since water is one part oxygen and two parts hydrogen, it can have up to four hydrogen bonds at once. These hydrogen bonds are the root of many of water's special properties. Water also has a property called cohesion. Cohesion is when molecules of the same thing are attracted to each other. Water is very cohesive because of the hydrogen bonds. You can see an example of this when you see droplets of water. Water also has adhesion, which is the same as cohesion except it's the attraction between two different things, in this case water and something else. Adhesion is what lets you take water up through a straw. Cohesion and adhesion work together in plants for what's called capillary action. This is when the plant takes water up through its roots and into its leaves. This is adhesion. Cohesion holds the water together as it moves up the plant. Those are the unique properties of water!
December 29, 2015
Mixtures:
Last time, we learned about the different types of matter. This time, we will be learning all about mixtures. Mixtures are a substance where two or more substances have been combined physically. But what's the difference between a mixture and a compound? It all has to do with the molecules and atoms. Compounds are formed when the individual atoms are combined to form a compound. With mixtures, we aren't combining atoms. We are instead mixing or fusing them together without combining their atoms. There are two main types of mixtures. The first is a homogenous mixture. In a homogenous mixture, the mixture looks like it is made of the same particles through the whole mixture. The particles in a homogenous mixture are evenly distributed, and there aren't clusters of one type of particles or another. An example is salt water. The other type of mixture is heterogeneous mixtures. In heterogeneous mixtures, the difference between the substances can be seen. In these mixtures, the particles aren't evenly distributed and the difference between different types of particles can be seen. An example is a salad.
Mixtures:
Last time, we learned about the different types of matter. This time, we will be learning all about mixtures. Mixtures are a substance where two or more substances have been combined physically. But what's the difference between a mixture and a compound? It all has to do with the molecules and atoms. Compounds are formed when the individual atoms are combined to form a compound. With mixtures, we aren't combining atoms. We are instead mixing or fusing them together without combining their atoms. There are two main types of mixtures. The first is a homogenous mixture. In a homogenous mixture, the mixture looks like it is made of the same particles through the whole mixture. The particles in a homogenous mixture are evenly distributed, and there aren't clusters of one type of particles or another. An example is salt water. The other type of mixture is heterogeneous mixtures. In heterogeneous mixtures, the difference between the substances can be seen. In these mixtures, the particles aren't evenly distributed and the difference between different types of particles can be seen. An example is a salad.
December 20, 2015
Types of Matter:
There are many different types of matter. In this article, we will learn about four different types of matter. Our first type is atoms. Atoms are the basic type of matter, and have a nucleus, or core, with protons and neutrons. Protons and Neutrons are little particles that make up an atom's nucleus. Orbiting around these atoms are electrons, which are very small particles. The number of electrons in an atom determines what element it is. The next type of matter is an element. If you want to learn more about elements than just what's in this article, check out last week's article for more on elements. Anyways, an element consists of only one type of atom. An element can have one atoms, or many atoms. For example, Hydrogen is H. It has one atom. Oxygen, however, is O2 and has two oxygen atoms. The next type of matter is a molecule. A molecule is a combination of two or more atoms. These molecules can have either one element in it, or more. Molecules are atoms chemically bonded together. The last type of matter is compounds. Compounds are like molecules, as they have two or more atoms chemically bonded together. However, compounds have two or more types of atoms, or elements, in them. A common example is table salt. Table salt is NaCl, where Na is sodium and Cl is chlorine. When those two types of atoms bond, they create table salt. Next time, we will learn all about mixtures!
Types of Matter:
There are many different types of matter. In this article, we will learn about four different types of matter. Our first type is atoms. Atoms are the basic type of matter, and have a nucleus, or core, with protons and neutrons. Protons and Neutrons are little particles that make up an atom's nucleus. Orbiting around these atoms are electrons, which are very small particles. The number of electrons in an atom determines what element it is. The next type of matter is an element. If you want to learn more about elements than just what's in this article, check out last week's article for more on elements. Anyways, an element consists of only one type of atom. An element can have one atoms, or many atoms. For example, Hydrogen is H. It has one atom. Oxygen, however, is O2 and has two oxygen atoms. The next type of matter is a molecule. A molecule is a combination of two or more atoms. These molecules can have either one element in it, or more. Molecules are atoms chemically bonded together. The last type of matter is compounds. Compounds are like molecules, as they have two or more atoms chemically bonded together. However, compounds have two or more types of atoms, or elements, in them. A common example is table salt. Table salt is NaCl, where Na is sodium and Cl is chlorine. When those two types of atoms bond, they create table salt. Next time, we will learn all about mixtures!
December 11, 2015
Elements:
You might have heard of elements. But what are they? Elements are the types of atoms that exist. There are 118 of these elements. You probably know some, such as Gold, Silver, Oxygen, and Neon. What makes an element a certain element, and not a different element, is the number of electrons they have. Electrons are little particles that orbit around the atom. The number of electrons often determines what type of element an atom is. For example, a Hydrogen atom has 1 electron orbiting around it. A Helium atom has 2 electrons orbiting around it, which makes it a Helium atom and not any other atom.
Elements:
You might have heard of elements. But what are they? Elements are the types of atoms that exist. There are 118 of these elements. You probably know some, such as Gold, Silver, Oxygen, and Neon. What makes an element a certain element, and not a different element, is the number of electrons they have. Electrons are little particles that orbit around the atom. The number of electrons often determines what type of element an atom is. For example, a Hydrogen atom has 1 electron orbiting around it. A Helium atom has 2 electrons orbiting around it, which makes it a Helium atom and not any other atom.
November 26, 2015
Density-How It Works:
Density is a property of matter. All matter has density. But, what is density? Desnity is how compact something is, which means how much stuff is in it compared to its size. To find density we need two measurements. One is mass. Mass is the amount of matter in something. This is usually measured in grams (g) and kilograms (kg). The other measurement is volume. Volume is the amount of space something takes up. Volume is measured in two different ways If it is solid, like a rock, then volume is measured in centimeters cubed (cm3) and meters cubed. If it is liquid, like water, then volume is measured in liters (L) and milliliters (mL). To find density, we take the mass and divide it by the density. We then write this measurement as g/cm3, kg/m3, and g/mL. To get an idea of what density means in objects, let's take a look at some objects and materials and their densities. Water has a mass of 1.0 g/mL, which is equivalent to 1.0g/mL. Concrete is 2.0 g/cm3. Plastic is 1.175 g/cm3. Gold is 19.32 cm/3. Now you know all about density and how it works!
Density-How It Works:
Density is a property of matter. All matter has density. But, what is density? Desnity is how compact something is, which means how much stuff is in it compared to its size. To find density we need two measurements. One is mass. Mass is the amount of matter in something. This is usually measured in grams (g) and kilograms (kg). The other measurement is volume. Volume is the amount of space something takes up. Volume is measured in two different ways If it is solid, like a rock, then volume is measured in centimeters cubed (cm3) and meters cubed. If it is liquid, like water, then volume is measured in liters (L) and milliliters (mL). To find density, we take the mass and divide it by the density. We then write this measurement as g/cm3, kg/m3, and g/mL. To get an idea of what density means in objects, let's take a look at some objects and materials and their densities. Water has a mass of 1.0 g/mL, which is equivalent to 1.0g/mL. Concrete is 2.0 g/cm3. Plastic is 1.175 g/cm3. Gold is 19.32 cm/3. Now you know all about density and how it works!
November 15, 2015
What is Matter?:
What is Matter? Matter is anything you can touch, feel, or in some way experience. Some examples of matter are rocks, phones, carpets, walls, stars, and grass. If you can touch it, it is matter. However, some things aren't matter. There is a thing called anti-matter that is not matter, When matter and anti-matter come in contact with each other, they cause an explosion. So, matter is anything you can touch or feel. Just about anything you can think of is matter.
What is Matter?:
What is Matter? Matter is anything you can touch, feel, or in some way experience. Some examples of matter are rocks, phones, carpets, walls, stars, and grass. If you can touch it, it is matter. However, some things aren't matter. There is a thing called anti-matter that is not matter, When matter and anti-matter come in contact with each other, they cause an explosion. So, matter is anything you can touch or feel. Just about anything you can think of is matter.