CHEM 1

(General Chemistry I)

Lecture Notes on Chem I | Introduction to Chemistry: Matter and It’s Properties

 CHAPTER 1
Introduction to Chemistry: Matter and It’s Properties

Learning Objectives:
After reading this chapter, the students should be able to:
▪ define Chemistry and state its importance in our daily lives.
▪ know the fundamental composition and properties of matter (physical and chemical)
▪ know the different classification of matter: mixture (homogeneous and heterogeneous) and
pure substance (compound and elements)
▪ differentiate the changes that matter undergoes (physical and chemical).
▪ identify different means of physical separating components in a mixture

Lesson Target Duration: 3 hours (2 meetings)

Learning Management System: 1. Google Classroom (Asynchronous)

2. Zoom/Google meet (Synchronous)

Discussion:
Chemistry is an active and evolving branch of science that has an utmost importance to
our world, in both the realm of nature and the realm of society. It touches almost every aspect of
our lives, our culture, and our environment. Its scope encompasses the air we breathe, the food
we eat, the fluids we drink, our clothing, dwellings, transportation and fuel supplies, and our fellow
creatures. The roots of this branch of science are ancient, but as we will see, chemistry is every bit
a modern science.
The science of chemistry deals with the makeup of the entire physical universe. A good
place to begin our discussion is with the definition of a few central ideas, some of which may
already be familiar to you. Chemistry as we all know it from our science classes in high school
is the study of matter and its composition, structure, properties, transformation from one
form to another and the energy that accompanies this transformation.
Since the study of chemistry involves almost everything around us that we could think of,
we could imagine how vast and broad this field of science is and so it was divided into various
branches as listed below.
1.1 Major Branches of Chemistry:
➢ Organic chemistry is the study of matter that is composed principally of carbon and
hydrogen in combination with a few other elements which are mostly nonmetal. This

Lecture Notes on Chem I | Introduction to Chemistry: Matter and It’s Properties

 branch of chemistry focuses on carbon compounds since it is the key compounds in many
substances that are essential to life.
ex. Liquified petroleum gas (LPG) is a combination of low-molecular weight hydrocarbons.

➢ Inorganic chemistry is the study of matter that consists of all the elements other than
carbon and hydrogen and their combinations.
ex. The bond present between sodium and chlorine in NaCl is ionic.

➢ Analytical chemistry is the study that is concerned with the detection or identification of
substances present in a sample (qualitative analysis) or with the amount of each that is
present (quantitative analysis)
ex. Nitrogen content of meat products can be determined using Kjeldahl method.

➢ Physical chemistry is the study of the application of the mathematical theories and
methods of physics to the properties of matter and to the study of chemical processes and
the accompanying energy changes.
ex. Ice melts at 00 C.

➢ Biochemistry is the study of the chemistry of processes and molecular structures in

living organisms.
ex. Carbohydrates are classified into monosaccharide, disaccharide and polysaccharide.

1.2 Matter
What is Matter?
• Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space and can be referred to as
the “stuff” of the universe. The air that surrounds us, the pencil that we write with,
and the water that we drink are all examples of matter.
• Matter is composed of particles in form of atoms (basic unit of matter), ions or
molecules.

Lecture Notes on Chem I | Introduction to Chemistry: Matter and It’s Properties

1.3 States of Matter
SOLID LIQUID GAS

▪ Definite shape ▪ Indefinite shape ▪ Indefinite shape

▪ Definite volume ▪ Definite volume ▪ Indefinite volume
▪ Essentially ▪ Only slightly compressible ▪ Compressible
incompressible ▪ Particles are mobile, ▪ Particles are far apart and
▪ Particles are tightly able to move around are small compared to the
packed together. each other. volume they occupy.
▪ Particles are held ▪ Particles are held together ▪ The attractive forces are
together by very strong by strong forces of so weak that the particles
forces of attraction. attraction. are independent of each
other.

All substances, at least in principle, can exist in three states: solid, liquid, and gas. As Figure
1 shows, gases differ from liquids and solids in the distances between the molecules. In a solid,
molecules are held close together in an orderly fashion with little freedom of motion. Molecules in
a liquid are close together but are not held so rigidly in position and can move past one another.
In a gas, the molecules are separated by distances that are large compared with the size of the
molecules.

Fig 1 .Microscopic views of a solid, liquid, and gas (adapted from Silberberg, 2006).

Lecture Notes on Chem I | Introduction to Chemistry: Matter and It’s Properties

1.4 Phase Changes of Matter
Matter can change its state (phase) from one form to another either by absorbing
heat (endothermic process) or releasing heat (exothermic process).

1. Melting is the phase change of matter from solid to liquid (endothermic).

2. Freezing is the phase change of matter from liquid to solid (exothermic).

3. Evaporation is the phase change of matter from liquid to gas (endothermic).

4. Condensation is the phase change of matter from gas to liquid (exothermic).

5. Sublimation is the phase change of matter from solid to gas (endothermic).

6. Deposition is the phase change of matter from gas to solid (exothermic).

1.5 Properties of Matter

Substances are identified by their properties as well as by their composition. These
properties can be categorized as either PHYSICAL or CHEMICAL.

➢ Physical properties can be measured and observed without changing the composition
or identity of a substance.

For example, we can measure the melting point of ice by heating a block of ice and
recording the temperature at which the ice is converted to water. Water differs from ice only in
appearance, not in composition, so the melting point being measured is an example of physical

Lecture Notes on Chem I | Introduction to Chemistry: Matter and It’s Properties

property of matter; we can freeze the water to recover the original ice. Other physical properties
include color, density, odor, taste, boiling point and etc.

➢ Chemical properties can only be measured and observed after the substance undergoes
chemical reaction to form another substance.

For example, the flammability of hydrogen gas can only be observed after its reaction
with oxygen gas forming water in a combustion reaction. Other chemical properties include
flammability, corrosiveness, and reactivity with acids.

All measurable properties of matter fall into one of two additional categories: extensive
properties and intensive properties.

1. Extensive properties are those properties of matter that depends on the amount or
quantity of the substance present (e.g., mass, volume, length).

2. Intensive properties are those properties that do not depend on the amount of substance
present (e.g., temperature, melting point, density, color, etc.).

1.6 Physical and Chemical Changes of Matter

➢ Physical Changes are changes in physical properties or changes in state with no change
in chemical composition.
e.g., changes of state
changing shape, changing physical state, dissolving
boiling water, melting ice, hammering gold into foil, sugar dissolving in water

➢ Chemical changes (or chemical reactions) involve the formation of new substances
with new chemical and physical properties.
e.g., decomposition of water, explosion of nitrogen triiodide
oxidation of matter (burning or rusting)
release of gas bubbles (fizzing)
formation of insoluble solid (precipitation)

Lecture Notes on Chem I | Introduction to Chemistry: Matter and It’s Properties

 release of heat or light

It should be noted that there are instances where a physical change may indicate that a
chemical change has also taken place. For instance, a color change, a warming, or the
formation of a solid when two solutions are mixed could indicate a chemical change.

1.7 Classification of Matter

Fig 2. One scheme for classification of matter. Arrows indicate the general means by which matter can be separated.

➢ Mixtures are combinations of two or more pure substances (can be separated into
individual substance by means of physical separation techniques) in which each
substance retains its own composition and properties. Almost every sample of matter that
we ordinarily encounter is a mixture. This classification of matter is subdivided into two,
the heterogeneous and the homogeneous mixture.

❖ Heterogeneous mixture – a type of mixture which consists of different

portions/ distinct phases which have recognizably different properties and
whose composition is not uniform throughout.
Examples: a. mixtures of salt and charcoal
b. mixtures of sand and iron filings
c. vegetable soup

Lecture Notes on Chem I | Introduction to Chemistry: Matter and It’s Properties

 ❖ Homogeneous mixture – a type of mixture whose composition is the same
throughout. It can also be called as solution.

Examples: a. saltwater
b. alloys
c. air

➢ Pure substance is a form of matter that has a definite (constant) composition and distinct
properties. It cannot be further broken down or purified by physical means. This
classification of matter is also subdivided into two, the compound and the element.

❖ Compound - a substance composed of atoms of two or more elements

chemically united in fixed proportions by mass. Unlike mixtures, compounds
can be separated only by chemical means into their pure components like for
example the electrolysis of water forming hydrogen gas and oxygen gas.

Examples: a. water (H2O)

b. tablesalt/ sodium chloride (NaCl)
c. carbon dioxide (CO2)

❖ Element – the fundamental substance which consist of only one type of atom
and cannot be broken down by chemical means to simpler substances.
– vary in abundance and organized in the periodic table.
– each is given a unique name with a one- or two-letter symbol derived from its
name.

Examples: a. Oxygen (O2)

b. Neon (Ne)
c. Lead (Pb)

Lecture Notes on Chem I | Introduction to Chemistry: Matter and It’s Properties

 1.8 Separation of Mixtures

❖ Physical means can be used to separate a mixture into its pure components
❖ Separation techniques exploit differences in physical properties of the
components.

➢ Filtration: Remove insoluble solid from liquid (e.g. sand and water)
➢ Evaporation: Separates solid from liquid component in the mixture by allowing the
liquid component to evaporate thereby remaining the solid component (e.g. salt and
water)
➢ Distillation: Boil off one or more components of the mixture between two liquids with
different boiling points (e.g. water and alcohol)
➢ Floatation: A process in Liquid-Solid Separation technology whereby solids in
suspension are recovered by their attachment to gas (usually air) bubbles, usually with
objective of removing the solids from the liquid. (e.g. extracting minerals from ores)
➢ Decantation: The process of separation of liquid from solid and other immiscible (non-
mixing) liquids, by removing the liquid layer at the top from the layer of solid or liquid
below. The process can be carried out by tilting the mixture after pouring out the top
layer. (e.g. oil and water mixture)
➢ Chromatography: A physical method of separation in which the components of a
mixture are separated by their distribution between two phases; one of these phases
in the form of a porous bed, bulk liquid, layer or film is generally immobile (stationary
phase), while the other is a fluid (mobile phase) that percolates through or over the
stationary phase.

Lecture Notes on Chem I | Introduction to Chemistry: Matter and It’s Properties