1 What have I learned about particles and their behaviour?
Summary: Tags: science oxford-science student-book-7 chemistry Created: 2026-05-19 Last Updated: 2026-05-19
In this chapter, you have:
- learned about the tiny particles that make up all matter
- discovered how the way in which particles are arranged, move, and separate give substances their properties
- found out what happens when substances melt, boil, evaporate, or condense
- seen how the particle model explains boiling water to make hot drinks and freezing food to preserve it
- used the particle model to explain why smells travel, and why different materials have different densities.
Journey through particles and their behaviour What do I already know? - States of matter: solids, liquids, and gases This chapter - 1.1 The particle model
- 1.2 States of matter
- 1.3 Density
- 1.4 Melting and freezing
- 1.5 Boiling
- 1.6 More Changes of State
- 1.7 Diffusion What comes next? - Elements, Atoms, and Compounds
- The Periodic Table
- The particle model and state change
- Reactions
- Chemical changes
Table 2
- Copy Table 1 and complete it with ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Table 1State Can you compress the substance in this state? Does the substance flow in this state? Solid Liquid Gas (3 marks)
- Figure 1 shows gold particles in the solid state. Draw another diagram to show the same particles in the gas state. Figure 1 (2 marks)
- Describe how particles are arranged and move in the liquid state. (2 marks)
- Answer the questions. Explain the meaning of density. (1 mark)Use the particle model to explain why steam (water in the gas state) has a lower density than liquid water. (1 mark)
- Table 2 shows the melting points and boiling points of six substances. Table 2Substance Melting point in °C Boiling point in °C bromine –7 59 krypton –157 –152 mercury –39 357 neon –249 –246 platinum 1769 4530 silver 961 2210 Find the substance with the highest boiling point. (1 mark)Write down the substances in order of increasing melting point, with the lowest first. (5 marks)Name one substance in the table that is in the gas state at 20 °C. (1 mark)Name two substances in the table that are in the liquid state at 20 °C. (2 marks)Name one substance in the table that is in the liquid state at 100 °C. (1 mark)
- Read the following statements about particles in a substance in the solid state. The particles touch other particles.The particles are in a pattern.The particles do not move around from place to place.The particles vibrate. Write down the statement that best explains why you cannot pour a solid. (1 mark)Choose one of the other statements and explain why it does not explain why you cannot pour a solid. (1 mark)
- Compare the processes of boiling and evaporating. (4 marks)