Term 2 Week 2

(Sorry I am writing a lot of these posts many weeks later as I have been very busy so they may have slightly less details)

This week, we learnt about how to accurately describing the molecules in the three states of matter in terms of the attractive forces between the molecules, the distance between the molecules and the speed they move. We also learnt how to describe them using kinetic particle theory, including the change of state. We learnt the relationship between the speed of molecules and their temperature, as well as learning about plasma and bose-einstein condensate, their properties, and their conversions into the other states of matter (kinetic particle theory too).

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There are 4 main characteristics of states of matter we look at here:
-shape
affected by arrangement of particles
-volume
affected by forces between particles and distance between particles
-compressibility
distance between particles
-whether brownian motion of a small particle can take place in it
affected by movement of particles


Solids:

Shape: fixed-particles closely packed together in fixed, regular pattern, occupying little space
Volume: fixed-particles vibrate about fixed positions and are held in position by very strong attractive forces
Compressibility: cannot be compressed as particles are too close together
Brownian motion-cannot take place

Liquids:

Shape: not fixed-particles slide past one another, free to move but confined within the vessel containing it
Volume: fixed-particles though they can slide past each other are still held together by attractive forces
Compressibility: cannot be compressed as particles are close together
Brownian motion-can take place

Gas:

Shape: not fixed-particles scattered freely throughout vessel in irregular pattern, occupying a lot of space
Volume: not fixed-particles have large distances between each other and can be squeezed closer together
Compressibility: can be compressed as particles are far apart
Brownian motion-can take place

We also learnt about two other states of matter-plasma and bose-einstein condensate.

Plasma is a state of matter consisting of free electrons and ions. These particles, unlike the other 3 states, can be controlled (e.g. plasma ball) using electrical and magnetic signals.

A plasma ball is a toy that is meant to mimic a tesla coil at a smaller scale. There is a coil of wires inside that have high frequency electrons vibrating. This vibration is so vigorous that the electrons are ripped off the atoms-forming plasma.

There are a few tricks you can do with a plasma ball.

The first is to put your hand on the plasma ball. A line of electricity similar to lightning will connect the core and the part of the glass your hand is touching. (You won't get electrocuted)

Placing a fluorescent light tube close to the plasma ball will ignite the light tube.

If you have two people, let one touch the plasma ball and the other hold a fluorescent tube. Holding the tube near to the person will cause it to light up as well.

In fluorescent lamps, electricity charges up mercury gas charging and exciting the atoms within-making the plasma emit light.

There is also Bose-Einstein condensate.

Firstly, all particles can be either bosons or fermions. All particles have a property known as spin, with fermions and bosons having fraction and whole number spins respectively. Thus fermions can be distinguished while bosons cannot. Bose-Einstein condensate only applies for bosons.

In Bose-Einstein condensate, there is no friction at all. Temperatures are extremely low (approaching 0) which makes these particles tend to form wave patterns.

Disclaimer: I told this to my father and he said the part about Bose-Einstein condensate is COMPLETELY WRONG! I am still not very sure what is right but Mr Tan you may want the teachers to confirm whether these facts are correct (he told me the wave thing is a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CONCEPT from BSE)