Matter (Atoms, Elements, and Compounds) - Explained

Summary

In this video, Mr. Millings introduces the concept of matter, which is anything that has mass and volume. He explains the basics of chemistry, including various branches such as inorganic, organic, and nuclear chemistry. He discusses the historical development of the atomic theory, starting with early Greek philosophers, and describes the structure of atoms, elements, and compounds. He emphasizes how different elements combine to form compounds with distinct properties and uses the example of sodium chloride (table salt) to illustrate this. The video provides a clear overview of fundamental chemistry concepts.

Takeaways

• 📘 Chemistry is the study of matter and the changes it undergoes, focusing on how different substances interact and react.
• 🔬 There are many branches of chemistry, including inorganic, organic, analytical, nuclear, biochemistry, green chemistry, electrochemistry, astrochemistry, and medicinal chemistry.
• 🧱 Matter is anything that has mass and takes up space, and examples include air, water, salt, and oxygen.
• ⚛️ Atoms are the building blocks of all matter, consisting of subatomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons.
• 🧪 The concept of matter has evolved, starting with the ancient Greek belief in four classical elements: air, water, fire, and earth.
• 💡 Democritus, an ancient Greek philosopher, was the first to propose that all matter is made up of tiny particles called atoms.
• 🔗 Atoms bond together to form elements and compounds, which are fundamental to the structure of all matter.
• 📊 There are currently around 115 known elements, with 90 occurring naturally and the rest being man-made in laboratories.
• 🧂 Compounds are made of two or more different elements bonded together, and they have properties distinct from the individual elements that form them (e.g., sodium chloride).
• 💥 The physical and chemical properties of compounds differ significantly from those of the elements they are composed of, as demonstrated by the formation of sodium chloride from sodium and chlorine.

Q & A

What is chemistry?

Chemistry is the study of matter and the changes it undergoes. It involves looking at different substances and how they interact or react with other substances.

What are the main branches of chemistry mentioned in the script?

The main branches of chemistry mentioned are inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, nuclear chemistry, biochemistry, green chemistry, electrochemistry, astrochemistry, chemical engineering, medicinal chemistry, and physical chemistry.

What is matter, according to the script?

Matter is anything that has mass and volume, meaning anything that takes up space and has weight.

Can air be considered matter? If yes, how?

Yes, air is considered matter. Although we can't see it, air has mass and volume, as demonstrated by breathing into a balloon which then expands and can be weighed.

Who first proposed that all matter is made of four classical elements, and what are they?

A Greek thinker named Empedocles proposed that all matter is made up of four classical elements: air, water, fire, and earth.

What was Democritus' contribution to the concept of matter?

Democritus theorized that all matter is made up of tiny particles called atoms. He believed these atoms were indivisible, solid, indestructible, and constantly in motion.

What are the basic building blocks of all matter?

Atoms are the basic building blocks of all matter. They are made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

What is the difference between an element and a compound?

An element is made up of only one type of atom, while a compound consists of two or more different elements bonded together.

What does the script say about the physical and chemical properties of compounds?

The physical and chemical properties of a compound are different from the elements that make them up. For example, sodium and chlorine are highly reactive elements, but when combined, they form sodium chloride (table salt), which is safe and essential for life.

How does the analogy of the alphabet help explain compounds?

The analogy compares elements to letters of the alphabet, which rearrange to form different words. Similarly, elements rearrange and bond in different ways to form compounds, creating a vast number of substances from a limited number of elements.

Outlines

00:00

🔬 Introduction to Chemistry and Its Branches

The speaker introduces the concept of chemistry, defining it as the study of matter and the changes it undergoes. Chemistry encompasses various branches such as inorganic, organic, analytical, nuclear, biochemistry, green chemistry, electrochemistry, astrochemistry, chemical engineering, medicinal chemistry, and physical chemistry. These fields study everything from substances' interactions to environmental impact and pharmaceutical development. The fundamental point is that chemistry focuses on matter, which is anything that has mass and takes up space.

05:01

🌍 Understanding Matter: Examples and Characteristics

Matter is defined as anything with mass and volume. The speaker explains that even unseen elements, like air, consist of matter (e.g., nitrogen, oxygen, and water vapor). These invisible particles, when measured, demonstrate that air has mass and volume. Matter includes atoms and subatomic particles (neutrons, protons, and electrons), all of which possess both mass and volume, albeit extremely small. Common examples of matter include gases like oxygen and substances such as water, salt, and various elements. The speaker also touches on the debate about whether energy is matter, noting the interrelation between mass and energy in physics.

10:01

🏛️ Early Greek Philosophies on Matter

This paragraph delves into the early theories of matter, starting with the ancient Greek philosophers. The discussion begins with a philosopher, likely referring to Empedocles, who proposed the theory of four classical elements: air, water, fire, and earth. These were believed to constitute all matter. This idea persisted for centuries until Democritus introduced the concept of atoms, theorizing that all matter consists of tiny, indivisible particles. Democritus’ ideas laid the groundwork for atomic theory, despite the lack of technology to confirm his hypotheses at the time.

⚛️ Democritus and the Theory of Atoms

Democritus' revolutionary idea of atoms is presented. He posited that all matter is composed of indivisible, solid, indestructible particles called atoms. While Democritus could not observe atoms, he hypothesized that they were always in motion, separated by empty space, and varied in shape and size. Though we now know that atoms are divisible and destructible, much of his theory remains foundational to modern science. The paragraph transitions into discussing atoms, elements, and compounds, introducing sodium as an example of an atom.

🔗 Atoms, Elements, and the Periodic Table

This section discusses the structure and composition of atoms, using sodium as an example. Atoms are described as the building blocks of matter, consisting of protons, neutrons, and electrons. There are about 115 different types of atoms, known as elements, which are listed on the periodic table. The paragraph explains that elements are collections of identical atoms, with 90 naturally occurring elements and the rest synthesized in labs. These elements combine to form compounds, which differ in properties from the elements that compose them.

🧪 Compounds: Combining Elements to Form New Substances

Compounds are defined as two or more different elements bonded together. The speaker compares compounds to words formed by rearranging letters of the alphabet. For example, sodium (a soft, reactive metal) and chlorine (a toxic gas) combine to form sodium chloride (table salt), which has completely different properties from its individual elements. This analogy emphasizes how compounds have distinct physical and chemical properties, despite being composed of well-known elements.

🌟 The Importance of Compounds and Their Properties

The speaker elaborates on how compounds possess unique properties that differ from the elements that form them. Using sodium chloride (table salt) as an example, the speaker highlights how two dangerous elements—sodium and chlorine—combine to form a substance essential for human life. This showcases how bonding changes the characteristics of the original elements. This section underscores the significance of compounds in our world, as they make up most substances in the environment.

🧱 Summary of Atoms, Elements, and Compounds

The final paragraph recaps the key concepts covered in the video: the nature of matter, atoms, elements, and compounds. The speaker revisits the historical development of atomic theory, from the four classical elements to Democritus’ atomic theory. The goal is to give the audience a foundational understanding of chemistry, matter, and how elements combine to form compounds. The speaker ends with a call to subscribe to the channel for more content on chemistry.

Keywords

💡Matter

Matter is defined as anything that has mass and takes up space. In the video, the concept of matter is central to understanding chemistry as the study of the physical world. Examples given include air, water, and salt, all of which are made of matter because they have mass and volume.

💡Chemistry

Chemistry is the study of matter and the changes it undergoes. The video introduces chemistry as a broad scientific field that explores substances, their interactions, and the reactions they experience. Branches of chemistry like organic, inorganic, and green chemistry are briefly mentioned to show its diversity.

💡Elements

Elements are pure substances made of only one type of atom. The video explains that there are about 115 elements, such as hydrogen and gold, which are the basic building blocks of matter. They are represented on the periodic table and combine to form compounds.

💡Atoms

Atoms are the smallest unit of matter that retain the properties of an element. The video describes how ancient Greek philosopher Democritus first theorized about atoms 2,500 years ago, calling them indivisible and in constant motion. Today, we know that atoms are made of subatomic particles—protons, neutrons, and electrons.

💡Compounds

Compounds are substances made up of two or more different elements that are chemically bonded. The video uses sodium chloride (table salt) as an example of a compound, formed by bonding sodium and chlorine. Compounds have different physical and chemical properties from the elements that form them.

💡Protons, Neutrons, and Electrons

Protons, neutrons, and electrons are subatomic particles that make up atoms. Protons have a positive charge, neutrons are neutral, and electrons have a negative charge. The video briefly discusses how these particles form the structure of atoms, such as the sodium atom example with 11 protons, 12 neutrons, and 11 electrons.

💡Periodic Table

The periodic table organizes all known elements based on their atomic structure and properties. In the video, the table is described as containing around 115 elements, with 90 naturally occurring and 25 man-made. The periodic table helps scientists understand how different atoms and elements interact to form compounds.

💡Atomic Theory

Atomic theory is the idea that all matter is made of tiny, indivisible particles called atoms. The video traces this idea back to Democritus and explains how modern science has built upon his theories, acknowledging that atoms are not indivisible but are made of even smaller particles like protons and electrons.

💡Branches of Chemistry

The video highlights various branches of chemistry, including organic, inorganic, analytical, nuclear, and biochemistry. Each branch focuses on a different aspect of chemistry, such as the study of carbon-containing compounds (organic) or the behavior of the atomic nucleus (nuclear chemistry).

💡Sodium Chloride

Sodium chloride, also known as table salt, is a compound formed by the elements sodium and chlorine. The video uses sodium chloride as an example to illustrate how compounds have different properties than the elements that compose them—sodium is a reactive metal, while chlorine is a toxic gas, but together they form an essential substance for life.

Highlights

Chemistry is the study of matter and the changes it undergoes.

There are different branches of chemistry, such as inorganic, organic, analytical, nuclear, biochemistry, and green chemistry.

Matter is anything that has mass and volume, including air and microscopic particles.

Atoms are the basic building blocks of all matter, and even smaller particles, such as protons, neutrons, and electrons, make up atoms.

Democritus, a Greek philosopher, theorized 2,500 years ago that all matter is made up of tiny particles called atoms.

Democritus believed atoms were indivisible, solid, and indestructible, although this has been proven only partially true today.

Elements are made up of one type of atom, and there are about 115 known elements.

Compounds are two or more different elements bonded together, forming substances with unique chemical and physical properties.

There are about 90 naturally occurring elements, with the rest being man-made in laboratories.

The periodic table contains all known elements, which rearrange to form millions of different compounds.

A compound's properties differ from the elements that form it, such as sodium and chlorine creating table salt.

Sodium is a reactive metal, and chlorine is a toxic gas, but when combined, they form sodium chloride, essential for life.

Matter has evolved from ancient ideas like the classical elements to the atomic theory of Democritus.

Atoms are always in motion, and between them is empty space, as theorized by Democritus.

The study of matter includes its physical and chemical properties, its interactions, and how it changes over time.

Transcripts

hey you guys this is Mr millings and

today we're going to learn about

something called matter and before we

start talking about matter we should

probably start talking about chemistry

and what is chemistry well it says right

here that

chemistry is the study of matter and the

change or the changes it undergoes so in

chemistry we're looking at matter we're

looking at different substances and how

they interact or react with other

substances and when we're talking about

chemistry there's all kinds of different

branches of chemistry for example

there's inorganic chemistry which is the

chemistry that you'll typically learn

about in a first year chemistry course

there's organic chemistry which is the

chemistry of carbon containing compounds

there is analytical chemistry where

you're taking a look at and analyzing

the components of different substances

and what's making them up there's

nuclear chemistry where you're looking

primarily at the nucleus of different

atoms and the changes that they undergo

in radioactive particles over time

there's biochemistry that is the

chemistry of life you're looking at uh

chemical processes and reactions within

uh the human body for example there's

green chemistry which is a new type of

chemistry a relatively new type of

chemistry and a very uh quickly

expanding uh branch of chemistry you're

looking at basically uh chemistry of the

environment and how to make uh the world

maybe a a cleaner and and better place

for us all there's electrochemistry

right here there's astrochemistry

there's chemical

engineering there's Medicinal Chemistry

for example pharmaceutical companies uh

will primarily hire uh people that have

degrees in chemistry to to manufacture

their uh their Pharmaceuticals and last

but not least there's Fe physical

chemistry all right so chemistry is a

broad range or has a very broad range of

different uh branches but understand

that chemistry in general is the study

of matter and the changes that it

undergoes and that's what we're taking a

look at this year but let's first start

off by talking about matter and what is

matter so what is matter well it says

right here that matter is anything that

has mass and volume so anything that has

mass and takes up space is going to be

considered matter and if we think about

the things around us and in our

environment uh we can pretty much think

uh well everything that we think of

pretty much for the most part is made up

of uh or is matter for example the air

around us though we can't see it we're

breathing it in we're breathing in

microscopic particles of nitrogen and

oxygen and water Vaper and hydrogen gas

and we're breathing those particles or

those atoms or compounds into our lungs

and even though we can't see it uh if we

breathe out into a balloon that balloon

is going to take up more and more space

as we breathe out so therefore it has a

volume and if you put that balloon that

you expelled all the air that was in

your lungs into on a scale it would

definitely have a very uh small Mass U

even though it is small it would

definitely have a mass so air is

considered matter tiny little particles

or atoms uh are also uh considered

matter if we break an atom up to the uh

subatomic particles that make them up

we'll have neutrons we'll have electrons

and we'll have protons which are even

smaller particles but they do have a

mass and they do have a very very very

very very small volume all right so more

examples oxygen gas salt uh water all

these things here are different

molecules that we're going to talk about

this year compounds and elements all

these guys are considered matter so

there's really not too many things that

you can think of that aren't considered

matter even in physics if you if you

think about energy or if you say hey

energy is not considered matter well in

physics they might disagree with you

because uh in physics uh energy is

nothing more than a condensation of huge

amounts of uh of mass I'm sorry mass is

nothing more than a condensation of huge

amounts of energy so energy and mass are

basically one and the same thing but

that's uh that's a later discussion that

we'll talk about all right so let's

first talk a little bit about the

history of matter and uh basically talk

about what the early we'll start off

talking about what the early or ancient

Greek philosophers and thinkers had to

say about matter and we'll build from

there all right so we'll start talking

about the four classical elements of

matter and our discussion here is going

to begin with a gentleman or a Greek

thinker and philosopher named endes that

lived about 500 or so BC all right and

he basically started thinking hm I

wonder what all this stuff around us is

made up of what is all this matter

around us made up of and he comes up

with this idea that all matter is made

up of four uh classical uh elements or

four basic elements and we call them the

classical elements of matter so about

2500 years ago this guy right here comes

up with this idea that all matter is

made up of air water fire and

Earth okay so this was uh this was a

crazy idea this is a you know an a very

new idea for the time and this is how it

kind of stood for uh for many many years

until another guy comes along by the

name of democratus and uh let's see what

he has to

say so 30 or 40 years or so go by and

then there's this guy right here by the

name of democratus democratus was

another Greek thinker U about 2500 years

ago and he's sitting there thinking one

day hm I wonder what all this stuff is

made up of and he comes up with this

idea that all matter is made up of tiny

particles that he called atoms okay so

democratus is the first person to come

up with the idea of atoms that all

matter is made up of tiny little

particles called atoms and then he goes

on to describe these tiny little

particles even though 2500 years ago

there weren't any microscopes or any way

of really seeing those small particles

that he's he's uh he's you know

basically theorizing all matter is made

up of so he goes on to say that all

matter is made of tiny particles called

atoms and he goes on to say that these

atoms are indivisible that they're

indivisible that they're solid and

indestructible little spheres of matter

and uh he goes on further to say that

atoms have always been and will always

be in

motion and between atoms there's empty

space he says this about these tiny

little particles and then he says there

are an infinite number of atoms and

kinds of atoms which differ in shape and

size okay so some of the stuff that

democratus is talking about 2500 years

ago is absolutely true today today we

know that all matter is made up of these

tiny little particles called atoms uh

however we know that they're not

indivisible they're not indestructible

uh they are in motion sure uh etc etc so

uh not a bad little uh hypothesis for

democratus 2500 years ago given the

technology that that he had at that time

okay so there's democratus understand

understand the ideas that he had uh come

up and contributed to the chemistry and

now let's talk a little bit about atoms

and elements and

compounds and so if we start with the

smallest and basic building blocks of

all matter we're going to have something

called an atom and so what we have right

here is just an example of a sodium atom

right here's a sodium atom right here

it's got 11 protons in its nucleus it's

got uh 12 neutrons in its uh nucleus and

it has 11 electrons outside of its

nucleus okay so there are about 115 or

so different types of atoms in the known

universe there's hydrogen atoms there's

helium atoms there's nitrogen and carbon

and oxygen atoms there's gold atoms and

so you can find all the different types

of atoms on the periodic table of

elements there's about 115 of them uh

currently all right and these are the

basic building blocks of all matter it

says right here that atoms are also the

smallest unit of ordinary matter that

has the properties of a chemical element

and also we know about atoms now is that

these atoms here are made up of even

tinier subatomic particles called

protons neutrons and electrons so atoms

are the basic building blocks of all

matter and if you get a bunch of the

same type of atom together for example

if you get a bunch of the same uh uh

sodium atom together you will end up

with an element the element we know as

sodium okay so

elements uh are are nothing more more

than a collection of huge amounts of the

same type of atom okay and so if you

look on the periodic table of elements

there's

about5 uh known elements 90 of them are

naturally occurring and 25 of them are

man-made or they're synthesized in Labs

okay and so all of these guys here all

the different known elements can be

found on the Periodic Table of of

elements so let's think about this here

to give you guys an example here there's

about 26 letters in the alphabet now

that doesn't mean that there's only 26

words in the English language there are

tens of thousands if not a 100 thousand

uh different words in the English

language so how does that work well

those letters of the alphabet those 26

letters of the alphabet they rearrange

uh themselves to form these different

words well guess what happens people the

115 elements on the periodic table

they're going to rearrange themselves in

different patterns and different

structures to form what we call

compounds so what is a compound well a

compound

uh it says right here are two or more

different elements bonded together so

much like the 26 letters of the alphabet

Bond or uh or rearrange themselves and

bond to form the different words these

elements will rearrange themselves and

bond to one another to form compounds

for example when you take a sodium atom

here and bond it with a chlorine atom

here you will have this substance called

sodium chloride or or table salt

basically so it's an important concept

to understand

understand uh that compounds are two or

more different elements bonded together

and that compounds have totally

different physical and chemical

properties than the elements that make

them up and we'll take a look at what

that means so there are only about 115

elements and those elements combine in

different arrangements to form millions

of different compounds so if we look

around the world if you look around your

environment you'll notice that most

substances in this world are are

compounds in fact okay so let's take a

closer look at compounds and see how

they work all right so let's talk a

little bit about compounds it says right

here once again and this is a very

important concept to understand that the

physical and chemical properties of a

compound are going to be

different than the elements that make

that them up so what does that mean well

if we take some sodium which is a soft

shiny metal that is highly reactive in

water and we mix that together with

Chlor chorine which is a toxic green gas

so we have two different elements here

we have sodium which is number 11 on the

periodic table of elements and we have

chlorine which is number 17 uh on the

periodic table of elements and these are

two different elements right this is a

soft shiny metal which is highly

reactive in water and this is chlorine

which is a toxic green gas if you

breathe it in it will do some severe

damage if not kill you but for some

weird reason when you mix these two

things together you end up with a

compound we call sodium chloride sodium

is now bonded to

chlorine and what ends up happening is

that table salt is formed and in fact

table salt is essential for human life

we cannot live without it so quite a uh

an

interesting thing to uh to to think

about that hey uh the stuff that we're

putting on our popcorn at the movie

theater is nothing more than this soft

shiny metal mixed with this green toxic

gas and when you mix these two guys

together you will end up with this white

uh crystal structure that is essential

for human life okay so understand the

concept that a compound that being the

sodium chloride right here this table

salt is going to have way different

physical and chemical properties than

the two elements that make them up than

the sodium uh metal here and the

chlorine gas right here okay so that is

matter in a nutshell uh that is what

we're going to be learning about in

chemistry and understand the idea of

atoms versus elements and compounds and

understand a little bit about the

history of the development of of matter

uh from the four classical elements of

matter to

democratus formulation of atomic theory

and if you like what you see go ahead

and click the little bomb in the bottom

right hand corner here and that will

subscribe you to my channel so that was

atoms elements and compounds and matter

in a nutshell and I hope you found this

helpful