Answer:
true
Step-by-step explanation:
Students often have no experience with the idea that some things (particles) can’t be divided. If sand is ground up into tiny pieces it is still sand. There seems no reason why the dividing can’t keep on going to smaller and smaller pieces. This is often described as a continuous view of matter.
Even when children are introduced to the idea of matter being made of particles, most consider there is still ‘stuff’ between the particles and that something like air fills the empty space. After all, when liquid is poured from a glass so that it is empty it still contains air.
These ideas are further explored in ‘Hannah’s Question,’ a classroom practice vignette.
Research: Loughran, Berry, Mulhall & Gunstone (2001), Novick & Nussbaum (1981)
Particles are often assumed to behave in the same way as the substances they make up. For example students can believe that particles themselves can swell, shrink and melt or that the particles in stone are harder than the particles in rubber. Many students consider that ice molecules melt to little droplets of water.
Scientific view
The properties of matter can best be explained using a model in which all materials are composed of tiny particles (atoms, molecules and ions).
There is empty space between particles and particles are constantly moving (their speed is changed by temperature). The particles in solids and liquids are quite close to each other, while those in gases are a very long way apart. (There is commonly an increase in volume of at least 1000 fold when substances move from solid or liquid to gas).
Changes of state involving solids, liquids and gases as well as a range of other phenomena can be explained by changes in arrangement and speed of the particles.