Chemistry examines major ways of how matter is classified and described, this includes the principle of the composition of elements, compounds, and mixtures (Saint-Jalmes 836). Principle of the physical state includes gas, liquid, and solids.
Gas, liquid, and solids are generally referred to as observable properties of matter, hence known as states of matter. A gas has no constant volume and shape while in liquid volume depends on the shape of the container they are placed in ("Macromolecular Organic Matter Working Group Report" 39-50). Solids have defined volume and shape. Gases have large intermolecular spacing than the liquids, and their particles are far apart from each other. Particles in liquids are relatively close to each other while solid particles are held in fixed positions and are not free to move thus rigid shapes of solids.
Matter also exists as pure substance having samples which are constant and does not vary from sample to sample such as water and table salt (sodium chloride) ("Macromolecular Organic Matter Working Group Report" 39-50). Substances are either elements or compounds; elements cannot go through decomposition to give rise to other components while compounds can be decomposed further to give other compounds. Matter can also be a mixture of two or more substances.
Chemistry also studies the physical and chemical processes that matter undergoes. A chemical process may be. As a result change in temperature and pressure while intensive properties such as solubility, acidity, and alkaline nature, melting and boiling point of substances, density and color of substances can be observed from substances (Saint-Jalmes 836). Matter compounds and mixtures are also important when there is need to separate them, hence will require different methods of separations such as distillation process, fractional crystallization method of mixtures, chromatography, evaporation, and sublimation may be very useful when extraction of substances being carried out.
In conclusion the study of various components of matter, states and composition which are classified according to their physical and chemical nature is important to chemists as already discussed above (Saint-Jalmes 836). The study of matter also deals with the various methods of extraction of substances and separation to get the required compounds, elements, and even pure substances. These, therefore, calls for the classification of matter in chemistry.
Works cited
"Macromolecular Organic Matter Working Group Report". Marine Chemistry 39.1-3 (2012): 39-50. Web.
Saint-Jalmes, Arnaud. "Physical Chemistry In Foam Drainage And Coarsening". Soft Matter 2.10 (2006): 836. Web.
