Page 107 - Innovator's Science-8

Chemists use knowledge of elements and compounds to make medicines,
Science vaccines, and fertilisers that improve health and increase food production.
Bytes

Engineers and material scientists use this knowledge to develop stronger
Testimony
An example of a 'wonder' and more useful materials, such as stainless steel, which is an alloy stronger
material developed by than pure iron. Common building materials like wood, steel, and concrete
material scien sts is are examples of mixtures used in everyday life.
graphene aerogel. This is
made from carbon and is You learnt that various metals are obtained from minerals.
said to be the lightest
material on earth. It is so Let us learn about these minerals.
light that even grass can
hold it. It is highly porous WHAT ARE MINERALS?
and therefore, has a high
absorbing capacity. For Most rocks are made up of a mixture of minerals that can be seen with the
this reason, it can eyes or through a magnifying glass or microscope. Some minerals, called
poten ally be used as an native minerals, are pure elements and not compounds; examples include
environmental cleaner,
for example, to clean up metals like gold, silver, and copper, and non-metals like sulfur and carbon.
oil spills in both seas and However, most minerals are compounds formed by combining two or more
on land. It is useful in
fabrica ng energy-saving elements. Common minerals include quartz, calcite, mica, pyroxene, and
devices and special olivine. Many everyday materials come from these minerals—for instance,
coa ngs for buildings.
cement is made using minerals such as calcite, quartz, alumina, and iron
oxide, while talcum powder is made from the mineral talc.

Quartz Calcite Mica Pyroxene Olivine Talc
Elements and compounds are the building blocks of matter—everything

that has mass and takes up space. They make the materials we see and use
every day. However, not everything around us is matter. Light, heat,
electricity, and even thoughts and emotions are important parts of our
world, but they are not made of matter. Understanding what matter is and

what it is not helps us better understand the world around us.

Know Your Scientist
Dr. Antoine Lavoiser (1746-1794) is known as the Father of Modern Chemistry. He established the law of
conservation of mass and proved that air is a mixture of gases. Lavoiser's careful experiments helped define
elements and compounds scientifically, laying the foundation for chemical nomen culture and modern chemistry.

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