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Properties of Matter |
Matter is anything that takes up space and has mass. Books and pencils are examples of matter. Matter can be described by its properties. The characteristics of matter that you can observe are color, size, shape, texture, and luster. Texture is how an object feels when you touch it. Luster is how an object shines in the light.
Volume is how much space an object takes up. A volleyball has more volume than a rubber ball. Mass is how much matter is in an object. A bowling ball has more mass than a beach ball. Matter is made up of tiny particles. The particles may be closer or farther apart depending on the object. A bowling ball is made up of dense matter and will sink in water. The beach ball is made up of loosely packed particles and will float in water.
The gram is a unit used to measure mass. The letter g stands for grams. More massive objects are measured in kilograms. One kilogram equals 1,000 grams. The letters kg stand for kilograms. Liter is the unit used to measure volume. The letter L stands for the word liter.
Mass and weight are similar because both are measurements. The more mass an object has, the more weight it has. Mass measures the amount of matter in an object. Weight measures the force of gravity acting on an object. Newtons is the unit that measures forces.
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