Matter & Energy
What happens to particle motion when temperature increases?
Particles move faster and have more kinetic energy.
What happens to pressure when volume decreases?
Pressure increases because particles collide more often.
What does Pascal’s Law say about pressure in fluids?
Pressure is transmitted equally throughout a fluid.
What determines what element an atom is?
The number of protons.
Why do elements in the same column behave similarly?
They have similar valence electrons.
Why does heating matter often cause it to expand?
Particles move faster and spread farther apart.
Why does a balloon expand when heated?
Gas particles move faster and spread apart.
Why can hydraulic lifts multiply force?
Pressure spreads equally through the fluid.
What part of the atom mostly determines behavior?
Electrons, especially valence electrons.
What is the periodic table organized by?
Atomic number.
What is the difference between a physical change and a chemical change?
A physical change changes form or state; a chemical change creates a new substance.
Why does pressure increase in a sealed heated container?
Particles move faster and collide more forcefully.
What happens to pressure when fluid speed increases?
Pressure decreases (Bernoulli’s Principle).
Why do electrons farther from the nucleus have more energy?
They are less tightly attracted to the nucleus.
Why are noble gases stable?
Their outer electron shell is full.
Why does a gas have more movement than a solid?
Gas particles have more kinetic energy and weaker attraction between particles.
Why does ocean pressure increase with depth?
More water above creates greater force pushing downward.
Why can airplanes fly using Bernoulli’s Principle?
Faster air over the wing creates lower pressure above the wing.
Why do electron shells exist?
Electrons can only exist in specific allowed energy levels.
Why do metals tend to lose electrons?
Their outer electrons are loosely held and easier to lose.
Explain how energy drives changes in matter.
Adding or removing energy changes particle motion, which changes matter’s behavior and state.
Explain pressure using particle motion.
Pressure comes from particles colliding with surfaces.
Why do objects float in water?
Water pushes upward with buoyant force (Archimedes’ Principle).
Why don’t electrons simply fall into the nucleus?
Electrons exist in quantized energy levels and cannot exist below the ground state.
Why does the periodic table repeat in patterns?
Electron energy levels and valence patterns repeat.