Question

Take a lump of modelling clay and break it in half. Keep breaking it in half until you can’t get the lump any smaller.

Do you think you have just one particle left now? Explain your answer.

Answer 1

Continuously breaking modeling clay in half does not result in one particle. Eventually, you would reach a point where you can no longer physically divide the clay because matter consists of atoms and molecules, which are the smallest units that retain the properties of an element or compound.

Step-by-step explanation:

When you continually break a lump of modeling clay in half until it can no longer be divided, you do not end up with just one particle. This is because matter, including modeling clay, is made up of many tiny particles called atoms and molecules. You can break a piece of clay into smaller and smaller pieces, but eventually, you will reach the limit of how small you can make it using your hands or ordinary tools, and you would need specialized equipment to separate individual molecules or atoms. The clay, like all matter, is composed of these small particles that combine to give it its properties and cannot be divided into smaller particles by simply breaking or cutting.