CHAPTER 2

A ROCKY PROBLEM

PARTICLE MODEL FOR MATTER

This year we will be studying the particle model
for matter. In making this model that will help
us to understand what atoms are and how they
work, we will use two tools.
First, is the scientific method. This is a
systematic approach to solving problems. We
will also remember that in making models, we
use a guideline that enables good models to
DOPE.

CLASSIFYING
There are many processes that take place in
forming models. You used one of them to
clean and straighten your room. YOU
CLASSIFIED things according to clean, dirty,
socks, shirts, dishes. Regardless of what
you did, you organized according to a
system.
In order to learn about atoms, we have to begin
to classify things. We do this chemically and
you did that in this lab using HCl.

-INTRODUCTIONCLASSIFICATION OF SUBSTANCES
If you are given a mixture of rocks and shells
and asked to separate them into two groups
you could probably do it without a lot of
problems. You know what rocks and shells
are from experience. They look like rocks
and shells that you have seen before.
The problem arises when things dont look like
what you have seen before.

For example, everyone would look at a

potato and recognize it as a potato. If
you mashed the potato then it begins to
look like other mashed vegetables.
Maybe it is rutabega.
So how could you see if it is a potato? You
could taste it and see if it still tasted like a
potato. The property of taste does not
change when the potato is mashed.
This is called an intrinsic property.
Intrinsic properties do not change
despite the fact that the shape of the
potato changed. The shape of the
potato changing is called an extrinsic

INTRINSIC PROPERTIES
Intrinsic properties are those that cannot be
changed. These are properties that are not
changed when things such as the shape of
an object is changed. Specifically, what is
unchanged is the atoms that make up a
substance. If the atoms are the same then
the chemical reactions of the substance will
remain the same. NATURE IS
CONSISTENT.

EXTRINSIC PROPERTIES

Extrinsic properties are those that

can be changed. These include
things like, size, shape, texture.
Extrinsic properties can be changed
and will frequently cause an object
to not be easily recognized.

SPECIAL AND GENERAL PROPERTIES

General properties are those that all matter
has in common. These are MASS and
VOLUME.
If an object has mass and volume then it must
also have Density (since density is mass
divided by volume) and it must have weight
(the effect of gravity on mass).

SPECIAL VS. GENERAL PROPERTIES

Special properties of matter are used to
differentiate one type of matter from another.
These include color, odor, size, shape,
texture, and hardness.
General properties describe the similarities of
matter. General properties include mass,
weight, volume, and density.

Special properties are used

to separate one substance
from another. These
include things like:
Color, odor, size, shape,
texture, etc.

MASS
Mass is matter. Specifically it is a
measure of the amount of matter
that makes up a solid, liquid, or gas.
Matter is defined as anything that
has mass and volume.

CHEMISTRY
Chemistry is the study of matter and the
changes that it undergoes in the presence
of new matter.

Chemical reactions are

intrinsic or special
properties.

OBJECTIVES FOR A ROCKY PROBLEM LAB

The objective for the chapter was to
separate objects and classify them as
being either rocks or shells. When you are
looking at whole objects, this is easily
accomplished. It becomes more difficult
when you are presented substances that are
crushed or powdered.
Chemical properties of substances do not
change when an extrinsic property is
changed.

ROCKS VS SHELLS
In the lab, you specifically were told you either
had rock or shell. Some were actually
mixtures. In class, if the sample did NOT
react, you would infer that it was rock. If we
were to randomly test an object with HCl and
no reaction took place, you could not state this
as several things do not react. The ONLY thing
that you would know for a fact is that the
substance did not have shell particles.

For example:
Whole Rock + HCl ----->
Crushed Rock + HCl ---->
will both yield the same products.
Whole Shell + HCl ----->
Crushed shell + HCl ---->
will both yield the same products.

Expected Conclusions:

Since the intrinsic properties do not

change, you will be able to compare
the reactions of the unknown
substances to the reactions of the
known substances. Those
substances that have the same
reactions to HCl must have similar
atoms that make them up, since
nature is consistent.

LAB RESULTS
HCl + shell (whole and crushed) fizz
HCl + rock (whole and crushed) no
reaction
This means that the operational definition
for shell is HCl + Shell Fizz since it
gives the chemical test as well as the
results of the test.

OPERATIONAL DEFINITION FOR ROCK

When we are trying to identify

substances in this class, we use
chemical tests. You now know
that ROCK will not react to HCl.
So, can we say that the way to
test for rock is to, add HCl and
see if it does not react?

TESTING FOR ROCK

The answer here would be NO. Adding HCl to
a shell gives a specific response. If you add
HCl to rock and get NO REACTION, then
you have no test. The reason is that the
following substances also did NOT REACT;
The counter top
The watch glass
The container with the HCl
For the careless people, the floor or their
fingers.

CHARACTERISTICS OF MODELS
Something that you need to remember is that
when you were determining the INTRINSIC
PROPERTIES of the rocks and shells, you
tested A LOT of rocks and shells. The
reason for this is that in order to have a
good model, you test it as often as you
can. Never base conclusions on one
observation, even if you are certain that it is
correct.

SO WHAT DO YOU KNOW?

You have learned something. You

may not know what type of
atoms the rock has, but you
know what they DO NOT HAVE.
They dont have shell atoms.
This process is called RULING
OUT.

WHAT ELSE?
So can you state that rock, glass, and the
plastic container all contain the same atoms
since they all do not react? Again, NO. That
would be an inference on your part. The only
thing that you know about those substances is
that they do not contain the shell particles.