MATTER AND MATERIALS
INTRODUCTION TO THE PERIODIC TABLE OF ELEMENTS
(a) The Periodic Table of Elements is a chart that shows how elements are classified and
arranged.
(b) It was put together in 1860 by The Russian chemist known as Dmitri Mendeleev.
(c) The elements in The Periodic Table are arranged into three main categories which are
metals, nonmetals and semi metals.
(d) Every element in the Periodic Table has a name, e.g. Hydrogen and it has its own symbol
which is H.
(e) Every element has a number which is known as the atomic number.
(f) Atomic numbers are used, in increasing order, to arrange elements in the Periodic Table
of Elements.
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NS Grade 7 Term 2 Teacher Guide
SOME PROPERTIES OF METALS, SEMIMETALS AND NONMETALS
(a) Metals are on the left of The Periodic Table of Elements.
(b) Nonmetals on the right of The Periodic Table of Elements.
(c) Semimetals are between metals and nonmetals.
(d) Metals have a high melting point compared to nonmetals.
(e) Mercury and Gallium are the only metals that are liquid at room temperature.
(f) Metals are good conductors of heat and electricity.
(g) Metals are shiny, ductile and melleable except for mercury
(h) Metals have a high melting and boiling point when compared to nonmetals.
(i) A melting point is a temperature at which a metal starts to melt and boiling point is a
temperature at which a substance starts to boil.
(j) Non metals are dull, brittle and poor conductors of heat and electricity.
(k) Semimetals have properties of metals and nonmetals.
Answer the following questions:
1. Who is the father of the Periodic Table of Elements?
________________________________________________________________________
2. What are the three main categories grouping elements?
________________________________________________________________________
3. Discuss how elements are arranged in the Periodic Table of Elements.
________________________________________________________________________
4. (Atomic numbers / Mass numbers) ________________________are used to arrange
elements in The Periodic Table.
5. Metals have _______________________________ (high melting points and high boiling
points / low melting points and low boiling points).
6. All metals are all solid at room temperature except for _______________ (Mercury and
Gallium/Magnesium and Sodium).
7. Metals are _________________________ (good conductors / poor conductors) of heat
and electricity.
8. What does the number 7 in Nitrogen represent?
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NS Grade 7 Term 2 Teacher Guide
9. Which element is in group 1 period 1?
________________________________________________________________________
10. Which element in group 6 is important for respiration?
________________________________________________________________________
11. Which element in group 7 is found in your tooth paste?
________________________________________________________________________
12. Which element in group 6 is used in gun powder and fireworks?
________________________________________________________________________
13. Which element in group 8 is used in balloons?
________________________________________________________________________
Learn your first 20 Elements
1. Hi! – Hydrogen (H) 9. Fireplaces - Fluorine 15. Peace - Phosphorus
2. He - Helium (He) (F) (P)
3. Lies - Lithium (Li) 10. New – Neon (Ne) 16. Security – Sulfur (S)
4. Because – Berilium 11. Na – Sodium (Na) 17. Clause – Chlorine
(Be) 12. Might – Magnesium (Cl)
5. Boys – Boron (B) (Mg) 18. Arthur – Argon (Ar)
6. Can – Carbon (C) 13. Also - Aluminium 19. Kisses – Potassium
7. Not - Nitrogen (N) (Al) (K)
8. Operate – Oxygen 14. Sign – Silicon (Si) 20. Carol – Calcium (Ca)
(O)
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NS Grade 7 Term 2 Teacher Guide
Answer the following questions with the aid of The Periodic Table of Elements.
1. List the first 20 elements symbols and their names.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
2. Complete symbols of the first 20 elements of the periodic table of the first twenty
elements.
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PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS
1. Properties of materials are features in a material that we can sense, measure or test in
order for us to use them accordingly.
2. Some properties can be observed (by looking, feeling or touching etc.)
3. Some properties include colour, hardness, freezing point, melting point, heat
conductivity, conducting electricity, etc.
4. The following are some of the properties of materials:
a) Strength – How strong or weak a material is.
b) Flexibility – It can stretch without breaking. Examples of flexible materials include springs,
plastic poles, plastic ruler, metal wires, rubber etc.
Answer the following questions:
1. What makes materials suitable for a particular use?
_________________________________________________________________________
2. Why is it important to understand the properties of materials?
_________________________________________________________________________
3. What is strength in a material?
_________________________________________________________________________
4. Discuss flexibility.
_________________________________________________________________________
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Did you know:
Using materials such as aluminium and magnesium alloys to carbon fiber can
reduce the weight of a car by half and as a result help save fuel.
c) Boiling and melting points
1. Boiling point is a temperature at which a liquid turns to gas when heat is added.
2. Melting point is a temperature at which a solid turns to liquid as you decrease the
surrounding temperature.
3. Different materials have different melting and boiling points.
4. The melting point of ice is 0°C
and the boiling point of water
is 100°C.
5. If the melting point of a cup,
for instance is 70° C, it can
only contain warm liquids and
it is not safe to use it for tea
whose temperature could be
above 70° C because it will melt while you are having your tea.
6. Electrical conductivity – metals
conduct electricity. A piece of
wood, for instance, cannot be
used as conductor.
7. Heat conductivity – metals
conduct heat.
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Answer the following questions
1. What is melting point?
_________________________________________________________________________
2. What is boiling point?
_________________________________________________________________________
3. Which factor is important for a substance to melt or freeze?
_________________________________________________________________________
4. Discuss the melting and freezing point of water.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
5. Discuss why the melting point of a container cannot be lower than that of the liquid it
contains.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
6. What is heat conductivity?
_________________________________________________________________________
7. Discuss the difference between electrical conductivity and heat conductivity.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
8. Explain if it is possible for a material to conduct heat but not electricity.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
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Read the passage before answering the questions that follow:
Stephanie Kwolek conducted a research on high performance chemical compounds which led
to the development of a synthetic material called Kevlar. Kevlar is five times stronger than the
same weight of steel. Kevlar, patented by Kwolek in 1966, does not rust nor corrode and is
extremely lightweight. Kevlar is the material used in bullet proof vests.
1.1 What are bullet proof vests made from? _______________________
1.2 Who is the scientist whose research led to the development of the material used in
bullet proofs vests? _____________________________________________
1.3 What are some of the properties of the material used in bullet proof vests? Mention
three.
1.3.1 ____________________________________________________________________
1.3.2 ____________________________________________________________________
1.3.3 ____________________________________________________________________
1.4 The reason why a cotton wool cannot be used to tow a car is that
_____________________ (it cannot conduct electricity / it has a low melting point / it is
not strong enough for that purpose).
2. Consider the following factors when answering the questions that follow:
A. Cost – the amount or monetary value of something.
B. Color – by-product of the light spectrum (blue, yellow etc.)
C. Texture – the feel, appearance or quality of something that can be decided by touch.
D. The Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max is coupled with performance enhancements, battery
improvements, camera improvements, the Always-On Display and the Dynamic Island
feature. It has premium design, great display, Always-On feature and great camera
results. Apple iPhone 14 Pro is however expensive, heavy and big. It also has a triple rear
camera with a sensor, ultra-wide-angle sensor and telephoto sensor. It has a 48 –
megapixel f/1.78 sensor which uses pixel-binning technology.
2.2 What is Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max?
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NS Grade 7 Learner Guide Term 2
3. What are the improvements in iPhone 14 Pro Max?
_________________________________________________________________________
3.1 What are the notable disadvantages of having an iPhone 14 Pro Max?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
3.2 What do we know about the iPhone 14 Pro Max camera features?
_____________________________________________________________________
4. A black box is an electronic recording device placed in aircrafts and some of the trains.
Though it is called a black box, it is mainly painted bright orange for visibility after an
accident. A black box is usually placed at the tail of an aircraft. It records speed, altitude,
acceleration, voices and background noise. A back box can ping once a second for thirty
days before the battery runs out.
4.1 What is the colour of a black box?
_______________________________________________________________________
4.2 Discuss why do you think the back box must be placed at the tail of an aircraft?
_______________________________________________________________________
4.3 For how long can a black box ping before the battery runs out?
_______________________________________________________________________
4.4 How many times does a black box ping in one day (24 hours)?
_______________________________________________________________________
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IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT
Some products we use have significant environmental impacts.
DISPOSABLE NAPPIES
A. Disposable baby diapers produce massive amounts of environmental waste.
B. Disposing diapers remains a challenge as non-recyclable landfill
waste while containing many harmful chemicals to the
environment.
C. If a child, for instance, uses 6 diapers a day it amounts to 2190 in
a year. If there are two million children using diapers, it is 4380
000 000 in a year and in three years it is 13 140 000 000.
D. A chemical such as Tributyltin (TBT) used to prevent bacteria is fatal if inhaled and can
affect fertility.
E. Disposing soiled nappies remains a challenge with many ending up in our drinking water
and affecting our agricultural products.
F. Growing trees used to manufacture diapers take tons and tons of water.
Answer the following questions:
1. What do you understand by environment?
_________________________________________________________________________
2. What are disposable nappies?
_________________________________________________________________________
3. What is the environmental concern about diapers?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
4. If your family has 2 kids using diapers, how many diapers do you use at an average of 8
per day per child?
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NS Grade 7 Learner Guide Term 2
MIXTURES
(a) A mixture is when two or more substances are
put together without forming a new
substance or without changing their physical
properties.
(b) Physical properties are those properties that
can be seen or touched.
(c) Physical properties of materials include
strength and flexibility.
(d) The boiling temperature for water is 100 ᴼC and for alcohol (pure ethanol) is 78.5 ᴼ C.
Since the two liquids have different boiling points, heating the mixture to 78.5 ᴼ C, will
cause the alcohol to start evaporating leaving behind water.
Answer the following questions:
1. What is a mixture?
_________________________________________________________________________
2. What are physical properties?
_________________________________________________________________________
3. Give four examples of physical properties.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
4. Discuss how water and alcohol can be separated.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
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SEPARATION OF MIXTURES
Mixtures can be physically separated (we can see it as it happens).
There are different methods of separating mixtures. The methods include:
A. Distilation
B. Sifting
C. Cromatography
D. Evaporation
E. Using magnets
F. Filtration
DISTILATION
(a) Distilation is the separation of mixtures by heating to a required temperature and then
condensing the product.
(b) It is used if the mixture is made of substances with different boiling temperatures.
(c) Distilation is also used to purify susbtances.
• Distillation is used in refining crude oil.
• Crude oil is a mixture of substances such as paraffin, petrol, diesel and propane gas.
(d) These substances can be separated because they have different boiling temperatures.
(e) The type of distillation used in crude oil is called fractional distillation.
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Answer the following questions:
1. What is distillation?
_________________________________________________________________________
2. Which mixtures are suitable for separation by distillation?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
3. Discuss why distillation is important in the petrol industry?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
4. What is crude oil?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
5. If you add oil to water, the oil floats on the surface of the water because
_______________________________________________________________________
Oil is less dense than water but not lighter/ water is heavier than oil.
6. A soluble material is __________________ (a material that dissolves in a liquid / a
material that does not dissolve in a liquid).
7. What is one condition for separating mixtures using distillation?
_________________________________________________________________________
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SIEVING
(a) Sieving uses a sieve to separate mixtures.
(b) Sifted mixtures can be a liquid and a solid or all in
solid form.
(c) In this method, a sieve is used to separate the
mixtures.
(d) Sieving is using to separate sand particles for
building, during cooking and baking, making tea
etc.
Answer the following questions:
1. What are the materials shown in the picture above?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
2. What type of mixtures are separated by sieving?
_________________________________________________________________________
3. Where is sieving generally used?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
3. Explain how sieving works.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
4. What is the possible reason for sieving the material shown in the picture?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
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CHROMATOGRAPHY
(a) Chromatography can be used to separate mixtures of coloured compounds.
(b) Mixtures that are suitable for separation by chromatography include inks, dyes and
colouring agents in food.
(c) The mixtures of coloured components can be separated
because they flow at different speeds.
(d) Chromatography - is used to separate mixtures of coloured
compounds.
(e) Mixtures such as dyes, inks, and food colouring agents are suitable for separation by
chromatography.
Answer the following questions:
1. What is chromatography?
_________________________________________________________________________
2. What kind of mixtures are suitable for separation by chromatography?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
3. Validate what makes it possible for certain mixtures to be separated by chromatography.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
4. Give examples of mixtures that are suitable for separation by chromatography.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
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EVAPORATION
(a) Evaporation is a method used to separate a substance
dissolved in a liquid from the liquid.
(b) This is done by heating the solution until the liquid
changes to vapour leaving the substance (solute)
behind.
(c) This method was traditionally used to obtain salt from
sea salt.
(d) Evaporation occurs in cold and warm liquids.
Answer the following questions:
1. What is evaporation?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
2. Validate how evaporation is used to separate mixtures.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
3. In what type of liquids does evaporation occur?
_________________________________________________________________________
4. Validate how salt can be obtained or harvested from sea water using evaporation.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
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USING MAGENETS
(a) Magnets can be used to separate materials that are magnetic from those that are not
magnetic.
(b) Magnetic materials are those that are attracted to a magnet.
(c) Cranes in scrap yards have magnets that are used separate iron and steel from
nonmagnetic materials.
(d) Magnetic materials include: Nickel, Iron, Cobalt and Steel (NICS).
Answer the following questions:
1. How can magnets be used to separate mixtures?
_________________________________________________________________________
2. In the mixture of sulfur and iron filings, which one will be attracted to a magnet and why?
_________________________________________________________________________
3. What is the meaning of magnetic?
_________________________________________________________________________
4. Give four types of materials that are magnetic.
_________________________________________________________________________
5. Validate how cranes separate magnetic materials from nonmagnetic materials.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
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FILTRATION
(a) Filtration is a method used to separate insoluble solid particles from liquids.
(b) A filter paper and a funnel can be used for this method of separating mixtures.
(c) The liquid particles go through the filter paper while the solid particles are held back.
(d) Filtration is used in the cars to filter oil, fuel and air.
(e) Filtration is also used in our vacuum cleaners, car injectors etc.
Answer the following questions:
1. What is filtration?
_________________________________________________________________________
2. What are the required apparatus to separate insoluble particles from a liquid (solvent)?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
3. Jug water filters, which are available at big supermarkets, can be used to filter small
amounts of water for drinking. Jug water filters remove all the insoluble solids from the
water and ___________________________________ (none of the soluble substances /
most of the soluble substances).
4. Validate different filters that you know, where they are used and what they filter.
_________________________________________________________________________
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SORTING AND RECYCLING MATERIALS
(a) There are different methods of sorting materials for different purposes.
(b) Some of the methods include hand sorting.
(c) This method involves the use of hands to separate a mixture of solids if the pieces are
big enough to pick up.
(d) Hand sorting is also used in the diamond industry to separate larger diamonds from
smaller diamonds.
(e) Hand sorting is also used in to separate fruits in farming.
(f) Machines are used to sort materials of different sizes and colour.
Answer the questions following:
1. If people have waste in the car they should
______________________________________ (stop the car and leave the waste next to
the road / make sure they do not hit a car coming from behind while throwing their
waste / put their waste in a waste bag and put it in a waste bin later).
2. Jug water filters, which are available at big supermarkets, can be used to filter small
amounts of water for drinking. Jug water filters remove all the insoluble solids from the
water and _________ __________________________ (none of the soluble substances /
most of the soluble substances).
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RECYCLING
(a) To recycle means to reprocess material so that it can be used again.
(b) Not all materials are suitable for recycling.
(c) The materials that are suitable for recycling include Paper, plastic, steel, electronics,
food, and clothing.
(d) Recycling is good for our environment – reduces
air pollutants
(e) Converts old waste products into new ones.
(f) Reduces the amount of resources such as energy
and water used to make new products.
(g) Reduces water, land and air pollutions.
(h) When shopping, you are expected to pay for each
plastic bag you get.
(i) This plastic bag levy was introduced by The Government to control waste disposal and
reduce plastic bag consumption.
(j) Due to the environmental effect plastics have on our environment, most governments
are starting to restrict the use of plastic bags.
Answer the following questions:
1. What is recycling?
_________________________________________________________________________
2. Which materials are suitable for recycling?
_________________________________________________________________________
3. Validate the advantages of recycling materials.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
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4. Compost is_____________________________ (an inorganic waste / organic waste).
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5. People who carry our waste have to deal with our_______________ (smelly and rotten
garbage / aromatic food waste) and we must respect them.
6. Validate how the plastic bag levy helps in controlling waste disposal.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
7. Throwing papers everywhere in our school yard
________________________________________ (creates employment for our workers /
saves us time looking for bins / is improper and irresponsible waste disposal).
8. Discuss why governments should restrict the use of plastic bags.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
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ACIDS AND BASES
(a) An acid is a substance that has a sour taste and changes blue litmus to red.
(b) A base is a substance that has a bitter taste and changes red litmus to blue.
(c) Some acids are corrosive meaning they will destroy or damage other substances by
contact or when it is exposed to them.
Acids properties
(a) Sour taste
(b) Turn blue litmus red
(c) pH ranges from 0 to less than 7 (7 is neutral).
(d) Rough feel
(e) Sticky
(f) Sharp smell
Base properties
(a) Bitter taste
(b) Turn red litmus blue
(c) pH ranges from above 7 to 14.
(d) Slippery feel
(e) Usually no smell
INDICATORS
a) An indicator is used to test if a substance is an acid or a base.
b) Any substance that undergoes a reversible chemical change like changing colour when pH
changes can be used as an acid-base indicator.
c) Litmus, red or blue, indicator is made from lichens. It is made into a solution, soaked and
dried on litmus paper. The word litmus means to “dye” or colour something.
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Answer the following questions:
1. Describe the taste of an acid.
_________________________________________________________________________
2. Bases have a _______________________ (rough feel / slippery feel) on the skin.
3. Many acids and bases are corrosive. What does that mean?
_________________________________________________________________________
4. If a substance is neutral it means_______________________ (it is an acid / it is a base / it
is neither an acid nor a base).
5. What is an indicator?
________________________________________________________________________
6. A litmus is a purple substance extracted from litchens and used as an/a_____________
(acid / base / indicator).
7. What colour is blue litmus in an acid?
_________________________________________________________________________
8. What colour is blue litmus in a base?
_________________________________________________________________________
9. A red litmus paper will ________________ (not change / change) colour in a neutral
solution.
10. Gugu suggests that a red litmus paper can be used to determine if a substance is acidic
or basic. Argue for or against the suggestion.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
11. All detergents and soaps are ______________ (acids / bases).
12. A substance with a pH of less than 7 is _____________ (an acid / a base).
13. pH stands for ___________________ (power hour / power of hydrogen).
14. A bee sting is acidic and if one is stung by a bee they should neutralise it using
_________ (milk / cold water / a base like baking powder) which contains sodium
hydrogen carbonate.
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ACIDS AND BASES IN ANIMALS
(a) A wasp sting is alkaline and its sting can be neutralized with vinegar or weak
acid to reduce the pain.
(b) The pain may not be completely taken away because the poison is injected
under the skin and the vinegar might not be able to get that far.
(c) Antivenin also called antivenom neutralizes snake bites. Antivenom is a biological
product used in the treatment of stings or snake bites.
(d) Antivenom is prepared by milking venom from relevant snake. It is then diluted, injected
in an animal and harvested from the animal’s blood. Snake venoms are both basic and
acid but the antivenom will treat the bite or sting.
Answer the following questions:
1. What is Antivenin or Antivenom?
_________________________________________________________________________
2. Why must vinegar be used to neutralize a wasp sting?
_________________________________________________________________________
3. What is the name of the product used to neutralize snake bites?
_________________________________________________________________________
4. Discuss the pH of the product used to neutralize snake bites.
_________________________________________________________________________
5. When brushing our teeth is necessary to use a toothpaste and a tooth brush to remove
plaque (a sticky harmful film of bacteria). Toothpaste is a / an ______________________
(acid / base).
6. Microorganisms in our mouths feed on food left overs to create an/a ______________
(acid medium / base medium).
7. When experiencing indigestion, one should take an antacid tablet which contains a base.
This is because your stomach contains hydrochloric acid and too much of it needs to be
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_______________ (taken out / neutralised).
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pH SCALE
A pH scale ranges from 0 – 14. It is also able to measure the pH of substances less than 1.
8. What is the range of the pH scale? __________________________________________
9. When there is too much acid in the soil, lime which is __________________________
( basic/acidic) must be used to neutralise the acid.
10. Use the diagram to answer some of the followig questions:
a. Is bleach an acid or a base?
_________________________________________________________________________
b. What is the pH for Ammonia solution?
_________________________________________________________________________
c. Which fruit juice is a base?
_________________________________________________________________________
d. What is distilled water?
_________________________________________________________________________
e. Is liquid drain cleaner a strong or a weak base?
_________________________________________________________________________
f. Explain the effect urine will have on plants?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
g. Which substance has the lowest pH?
________________________________________________________________________
h. If a substance has a high pH value, is it basic or acidic?
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