When it comes to science, there are tons of misconceptions that bedazzle the way we think about certain things. There are misconceptions when it comes to nutrition, when it comes to biology, when it comes to chemistry as well as when it comes to physics. But what about matter? What are some of the misconceptions about matter? In fact, to thoroughly understand the misconceptions about matter, let us first take a look at what matter actually is.
Matter is everywhere; it is around us, beneath us and above us. Matter can be defined as just about anything that has the ability to take up space and has mass. A sofa can be called matter because it takes up space as well as has mass, on the other hand a small atom can also be considered matter because it does take up space and it also has mass.
Matter also includes liquids as well as solids, which are the two main states as they all contain atoms and molecules and thus are also considered matter. After reading the following article you will actually be surprised by all the misconceptions regarding matter. Let’s take a look at some of those misconceptions:
* Gases are not matter because they do not have mass, nor are they visible.
* The air that we breathe and the element oxygen are the same exact gas.
* Similarly, helium that is found in balloons is the same gas as hot air.
* When an object increases its size, such as the expansion of steel, it is not because the particles that are inside the steel have increased their distances rather it is the expansion of the same particles.
* When a substance undergoes a chemical change, we can’t reverse the process and obtain the initial ingredients. In a physical change however, such as a mixture the initial ingredients can be obtained because the molecules of the newly formed mixture are not chemically bind.
* When a new substance is produced, the particles of the previous substance have not been rearranged.
* Steam is not an entirely new form of matter, rather it is just molecules of water gas that can be seen by the naked eye.
The above mentioned misconceptions are some of the most common misconceptions in the world of science and matter. In order to have a better understanding of science and how matter reacts to certain changes, it is very important to make sure that the basics of this topic are fully grasped.
Source:
http://homepage.mac.com/vtalsma/syllabi/2943/handouts/misconcept.html
