Chapter 2, Problem 1TYC

To determine

The basic building blocks of matter with some examples using chemicals common in Earth’s physical or biological systems.

Answer to Problem 1TYC

Building blocks of matter are the elements and atoms. These are also known as chemical building blocks of matter.

Explanation of Solution

Matter is anything that occupies space (has mass and volume). Matter can be transformed from one form of substance to other form, but it can neither be created nor can be destroyed; this is known as law of conservation of matter. This law makes it clear that removal of undesirable matter such as nuclear waste and toxic pollutants from the environment is not possible because one cannot destroy matter.

Basic building blocks of matter are atoms and elements. These are also known as chemical building blocks of matter. Element is a principal type of matter or a chemical substance that cannot be broken down into substance that possess different properties. There are presently 92 elements that are known, for example, elements abundant in the environment are oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon and silicon.

Atoms also play an important role in building matter. They are the smallest unit that maintains the chemical characteristics of matter. Atoms of each element contain proton, electron and neutron.

Table 1: showing examples of building blocks matter common in Earth’s physical or biological systems.

Earth crust	Oceans	Air	Organisms
Oxygen - 49.5%	Oxygen - 88.3%	Oxygen - 21.09%	Oxygen - 65.1%
Silicon – 25.7%	Hydrogen - 11.0%	Nitrogen - 78.1%	Carbon - 18.5%
Aluminum - 7.4%	Sodium - 1.1%	Argon - 0.9%	Hydrogen - 9.5%