Why Does Matter Matter? Worksheet - Free Printable

The image you've uploaded is an answer key for a worksheet titled *"Why Does Matter Matter?"* by Kelly Hashway. This worksheet is designed to teach students about the properties of matter, including its states (solids, liquids, gases), and basic scientific concepts like volume, mass, shape, and atomic structure.

Below is a detailed explanation of the content and how each answer was determined:

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🔍 Overview of the Worksheet

- The task: Use words from the word bank to complete 12 sentences.
- Word Bank:
- solids, volume, container, matter, ice, juice
- gases, mass, atoms, chair, oxygen, melting
- liquids, shape, space, milk, helium

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✔ Explanation of Each Answer

#### 1. "The three basic properties of matter are volume, mass, and shape."
- Why? These are the fundamental physical properties used to describe matter:
- Volume: amount of space occupied.
- Mass: amount of matter in an object.
- Shape: form of the object (especially important for solids).

#### 2. "All matter is made up of tiny particles called atoms."
- Why? Atoms are the smallest units of matter that retain chemical properties. Everything around us is composed of atoms.

#### 3. "Volume is the amount of space that matter takes up."
- Why? Volume measures how much space an object or substance occupies — whether solid, liquid, or gas.

#### 4. "Mass is the amount of matter an object has."
- Why? Mass is a measure of the quantity of matter, independent of gravity. It's typically measured in grams or kilograms.

#### 5. "Liquids take the shape of their container."
- Why? Unlike solids, liquids flow and conform to the shape of their container while maintaining a fixed volume.

#### 6. "Gases do not have a definite shape, mass, or volume."
- Wait! This sentence is incorrect as written.
- Gases do have mass and volume — they just don’t have a definite shape or volume.
- Correction: Gases do not have a definite shape or volume, but they do have mass.
- However, since this is an answer key, it appears the intended answer is gases, likely assuming the sentence meant "definite shape or volume."

> ⚠️ Note: The sentence should probably say:
> *"Gases do not have a definite shape or volume."*

#### 7. "Liquids do not have a definite shape, but they do have a definite volume."
- Why? Liquids flow and take the shape of their container, but they cannot be compressed easily, so they maintain a fixed volume.

#### 8. "Solids have a definite shape and volume."
- Why? Solids keep their shape and volume because particles are tightly packed and vibrate in place.

#### 9. "A chair and ice are examples of solids."
- Why? Both are rigid, maintain shape, and have fixed volumes — typical characteristics of solids.

#### 10. "Milk and juice are examples of liquids."
- Why? They flow, take the shape of their container, and have a fixed volume.

#### 11. "Oxygen and helium are examples of gases."
- Why? Oxygen (O₂) and helium (He) are common gases at room temperature; they expand to fill containers.

#### 12. "Solid ice is melting when it is changing into a liquid."
- Why? Melting is the phase change from solid to liquid, which occurs when heat is added (e.g., ice → water).

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🧠 Key Concepts Covered:

| Concept | Description |
|--------|-------------|
| Matter | Anything that has mass and takes up space |
| States of Matter | Solid, liquid, gas |
| Atoms | Building blocks of all matter |
| Volume | Space occupied |
| Mass | Amount of matter |
| Shape | Form of matter (fixed in solids, variable in liquids/gases) |

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📝 Summary:

This worksheet helps students understand:
- What defines matter.
- How solids, liquids, and gases differ.
- Basic vocabulary related to physical science.

The answer key correctly identifies the appropriate terms from the word bank to complete each sentence based on scientific understanding.

✔ All answers provided in the key are scientifically accurate except possibly #6, which may need clarification regarding mass and volume of gases.

Let me know if you'd like a student-friendly version of this worksheet or a quiz based on it!