This document defines matter and discusses how to measure its mass and volume. It explains that matter is anything that has mass and takes up space, and provides examples like pencils, books, and cars. Mass is the amount of matter in an object and is measured using a balance scale. Volume is the amount of space an object occupies and can be found using formulas for different shapes or water displacement. Graphs are used to show relationships between variables and different types like line graphs track changes over time while bar graphs compare amounts.

1. Measuring Matter

2. What is matter?
• Matter is everything around you!

3. All matter has . . .
• Mass
• And
• Volume

4. Examples of Matter
• Anything that has mass and volume
• Pencil, book, car, water, air, etc. . .
• That includes you!

5. What is mass?
• Mass is the amount of matter in an
object.
• Elephant = a lot of matter = LARGE
Mass
• Paperclip = small amount of matter =
SMALL mass

6. How do we measure mass?
• We measure mass with a triple beam
balance
• Make sure it is balanced before you begin.
• Move the riders until the the arm is at the
zero.
• Add all the numbers together.
• Mass is measured in grams (g).

7. What is volume?
• The amount of space taken up or
occupied by an object.

8. How do you find the volume of a
rectangular solid object?
• Volume = length • width • height
• V = l • w • h
2 cm
2 cm
4 cm
Example:
V = 2 cm • 2 cm • 4 cm
V = 16 cm3

9. How do you find the volume of an
irregular-shaped solid object?
• Water Displacement:
– Fill a graduated cylinder with a certain
amount of water.
– Drop the object into the graduated
cylinder with the water.
– Measure the change in volume of the
water.
• Measure how far the water rose when the
object was placed in the graduated cylinder.

10. How do you find the volume of a
liquid?
– Use a graduated cylinder.
– Measure from the bottom of the meniscus.
– Measure in milliliters (mL).

11. How do you find the volume of a
gas?
• A gas will fill the volume of its
container, so find the volume of the
container and you have the volume of
the gas

12. Reminder…
• 1mL=1cm3
• Write this on your notes in the margins
next to the volume section and put a
box around it!

13. Graphing

14. Why do we graph data?
• To show the relationship between the
independent and dependent
variable.
• To compare data.

15. Rules for Graphing:
1. Always use a ruler or computer
program
2. Have your graph take up half a page
to a full page of paper
3. Title your graph descriptively
– Title should relate to what is being shown
in the graph

16. Rules for Graphing:
4. Label the x (along the bottom) and y
axis (along the left side)
– x-axis should be the independent variable
(the variable we change during the
experiment, ex: time or distance )
– y-axis should be the dependent variable
(the variable we observe/measure in the
experiment, ex: temperature or mass )

17. Rules for Graphing:
5. Number the x and y axis with
consistent numbers (increasing by 5’s
or 10’s, etc.)
– Use the majority of each axis for your
graph
5. Use different colors/patterns if you are
showing multiple trials.

18. How do you know which graph to
use?
• Depends on:
– The information (variables) you use
– What you are trying to show

19. Line Graph vs. Bar Graph
Line Graph:
•Used to show
changes that
occur in related
variables
•Shows trends
(changes) over
time
Bar Graph:
•Use to compare
data (such as
measurements,
amounts or
changes)
•Can show large
changes over time
Pie Chart:
•Circle that shows
how parts relate to
the whole.
•Shows proportions

20. Which type of graph would you use
for:
• Plant growth over time
• Population of a city over 10 years
• Students preference in food (pizza vs
hamburgers vs hot dogs vs chicken
nuggets)
• Number of people in 4 different towns
• The number of hours spent on
Facebook by students each week
Line Graph
Line or Bar
Pie Chart
Bar Graph
Line Graph