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Lightning and Glass
One bolt of lightning is five times hotter than the surface of the sun. It can reach temperatures of 29,727 degrees Celsius (53,540 degrees Fahrenheit). If that bolt of lightning hits the sand in just the right way, it can turn the sand into glass. It does this because lightning carries a huge amount of energy. Remember that energy is the ability to do work. When lightning hits the sand, it transfers a lot of that energy to the sand. In rare cases, this energy can cause some of the grains of sand to change into glass. To change means to make something different from what it is now.
Properties of Matter
Think about the properties of sand and the properties of glass. A property is an observable or measurable characteristic of a substance. For example, both sand and glass are solid. But sand is coarse and opaque. Opaque substances don’t let light through. In contrast, glass is smooth and transparent. This is why glass is used for windows, glasses, and other functions where you need to see through it. Function is the normal action of something or how something works.
When lightning strikes sand, it sometimes forms a glassy tube. This tube is often in the shape of a miniature lightning bolt. This kind of glass is very fragile and will break apart easily.
Introduction to Matter
Understanding how lightning can change sand into glass begins with an understanding of matter—anything that has mass and takes up space. Remember that mass is a physical property of matter. It is a measure of the amount of atoms (matter) that make up an object or substance, and it is measured in grams (g).
Physical properties are features of a substance that can be observed or measured without changing the chemical structure of the substance. In addition to mass, physical properties include color, odor, density, volume, shape, boiling point, and melting point.
Chemical properties are features of a substance revealed during a chemical reaction. Chemical properties include flammability (the ability to catch on fire), oxidation (the ability to react with oxygen), and reactivity (the ability of two or more substances to combine together).
Atoms and Elements
Both sand and glass are kinds of matter because they are both made up of atoms. An atom is the smallest piece of matter that has the properties of an element—substances that are made up entirely of one kind of atom. The air around you is matter, as are all living things and all of the “stuff” that surrounds you. Energy is not matter because it isn’t made up of atoms. However, energy and matter are constantly interacting. Matter can only change when enough energy is present. We’ll explore these ideas in the next sections.
To understand why a substance has the properties it does, scientists begin with the structure of the atoms that make it up. Structure is the way in which parts are put together to form a whole.
Parts of an Atom
Atoms themselves are made up of smaller particles, called protons, neutrons, and electrons. These smaller particles are called subatomic particles.
These smaller particles are much smaller than the atom itself. For example, the protons and neutrons group together in the atom’s core, called the nucleus. If the atom is the size of a blueberry and you open the blueberry up, the nucleus would be too small to see. If you were to make the blueberry the size of a football field, you would just be able to see the nucleus. It would be the size of a small marble. The nucleus holds all of the atom’s protons and neutrons.
The electrons are much smaller than the protons and the neutrons. They are in constant motion around the nucleus. However, most of the atom is filled with empty space. There are vast regions of space between each of the electrons and between the electrons and the nucleus.
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Discover hands-on screens-off core science curriculum for student centered K-8 classrooms. KnowAtom supports classrooms with all hands-on materials, curriculum, and professional development to support mastery of the standards.
