NCERT Class 8 Science MCQ | Chapter 7: Particulate Nature of Matter
1. What is matter made up of according to the particulate nature of matter?
(A) Only large visible particles
(B) Extremely small particles
(C) Only liquids and gases
(D) Continuous blocks without spaces
Answer: (B) Extremely small particles
2. What are the basic units that make up a substance called?
(A) Interparticle spaces
(B) Constituent particles
(C) Thermal particles
(D) Fluid particles
Answer: (B) Constituent particles
3. What happens when a piece of chalk is repeatedly broken and ground?
(A) It changes into a new substance
(B) It becomes smaller particles of the same substance
(C) It changes into a liquid
(D) It loses all its particles
Answer: (B) It becomes smaller particles of the same substance
4. What happens to sugar when it dissolves in water?
(A) It disappears completely
(B) It changes into water
(C) It breaks up into constituent particles and occupies spaces between water particles
(D) It settles permanently at the bottom
Answer: (C) It breaks up into constituent particles and occupies spaces between water particles
5. What are the spaces between the constituent particles of matter called?
(A) Empty layers
(B) Interparticle spaces
(C) Atmospheric spaces
(D) Molecular gaps
Answer: (B) Interparticle spaces
6. Which statement about interparticle attractions is correct?
(A) They are repulsive in nature
(B) They are attractive in nature
(C) They exist only in gases
(D) They exist only in liquids
Answer: (B) They are attractive in nature
7. Which factor affects the strength of interparticle attraction?
(A) Colour of the substance
(B) Nature of the substance and interparticle distance
(C) Shape of the container only
(D) Mass of the container
Answer: (B) Nature of the substance and interparticle distance
8. Why do solids have a definite shape and volume?
(A) Their particles are very far apart
(B) Their particles are tightly packed and strongly attracted to each other
(C) Their particles move freely in all directions
(D) They have no interparticle attraction
Answer: (B) Their particles are tightly packed and strongly attracted to each other
9. How do particles in a solid generally move?
(A) They move freely throughout the container
(B) They move from one place to another
(C) They vibrate or oscillate about their fixed positions
(D) They remain completely motionless
Answer: (C) They vibrate or oscillate about their fixed positions
10. What happens to the particles of a solid when it is heated?
(A) They stop moving
(B) They vibrate more vigorously
(C) They become completely stationary
(D) They disappear
Answer: (B) They vibrate more vigorously
11. What is the melting point of a substance?
(A) The temperature at which a liquid freezes
(B) The minimum temperature at which a solid melts into a liquid at atmospheric pressure
(C) The temperature at which a gas condenses
(D) The highest temperature a solid can withstand
Answer: (B) The minimum temperature at which a solid melts into a liquid at atmospheric pressure
12. Which of the following has the highest melting point according to the table in the chapter?
(A) Ice
(B) Urea
(C) Iron
(D) Water
Answer: (C) Iron
13. Which statement correctly describes the particles in a liquid?
(A) They are fixed in position
(B) They can move within a limited space
(C) They are completely free and widely separated
(D) They have no attractive forces
Answer: (B) They can move within a limited space
14. Which property of liquids is demonstrated when water takes the shape of different containers?
(A) Liquids have a fixed shape
(B) Liquids have no fixed shape
(C) Liquids have no volume
(D) Liquids cannot flow
Answer: (B) Liquids have no fixed shape
15. Which statement about the volume of a liquid is correct?
(A) A liquid has no definite volume
(B) A liquid has a definite volume
(C) Its volume always becomes zero in a new container
(D) Its volume depends only on its shape
Answer: (B) A liquid has a definite volume
16. What happens when a liquid reaches its boiling point?
(A) Its particles stop moving
(B) Its particles move apart vigorously and the liquid changes into vapour
(C) Its particles become tightly packed
(D) Its volume becomes zero
Answer: (B) Its particles move apart vigorously and the liquid changes into vapour
17. What is evaporation?
(A) Rapid vapour formation throughout a liquid at its boiling point
(B) Slow vapour formation at the surface of a liquid at temperatures below its boiling point
(C) Conversion of a gas into a solid
(D) Conversion of a solid into a liquid
Answer: (B) Slow vapour formation at the surface of a liquid at temperatures below its boiling point
18. Why do gases have neither a fixed shape nor a fixed volume?
(A) Their particles are tightly packed
(B) Their particles move freely in all directions and have negligible attraction
(C) Their particles cannot move
(D) Their particles are fixed in one position
Answer: (B) Their particles move freely in all directions and have negligible attraction
19. What does the spreading of smoke throughout a gas jar demonstrate?
(A) Gas particles are stationary
(B) Gas particles move freely and occupy the available space
(C) Gas particles have a fixed volume
(D) Gas particles have strong attraction
Answer: (B) Gas particles move freely and occupy the available space
20. Why can gases be compressed more easily than liquids?
(A) Gas particles have large spaces between them
(B) Gas particles have no mass
(C) Liquid particles are completely stationary
(D) Gases have a fixed volume
Answer: (A) Gas particles have large spaces between them
21. What happens to the spreading of potassium permanganate in hot water compared with ice-cold water?
(A) It is slower in hot water
(B) It is faster in hot water
(C) It is the same in all temperatures
(D) It stops completely in hot water
Answer: (B) It is faster in hot water
22. Why does potassium permanganate spread faster in hot water?
(A) Water particles move faster when heated
(B) Water particles stop moving when heated
(C) Potassium permanganate becomes heavier
(D) Hot water has no particles
Answer: (A) Water particles move faster when heated
23. Why can the fragrance of an incense stick be smelled from a distance?
(A) Fragrance particles are pulled directly by gravity
(B) Moving air particles help the fragrance particles spread throughout the room
(C) Fragrance particles have no mass
(D) The incense stick produces liquid particles
Answer: (B) Moving air particles help the fragrance particles spread throughout the room
24. Which comparison of the three states of matter is correct?
(A) Solids have maximum interparticle spacing and gases have minimum
(B) Solids have minimum interparticle spacing, liquids have more, and gases have maximum
(C) All three states have the same interparticle spacing
(D) Liquids have no interparticle spacing
Answer: (B) Solids have minimum interparticle spacing, liquids have more, and gases have maximum
25. Which statement best explains why the physical state of matter changes?
(A) Thermal energy affects particle movement, spacing, and interparticle attractions
(B) The colour of matter changes its physical state
(C) The mass of particles disappears during heating
(D) Matter changes state without any change in particle behaviour
Answer: (A) Thermal energy affects particle movement, spacing, and interparticle attractions
NCERT Class 8 Science MCQ | Chapter 7: Particulate Nature of Matter
Assertion–Reason Questions
Directions: Choose the correct option:
(A) Both Assertion and Reason are true, and Reason is the correct explanation of Assertion.
(B) Both Assertion and Reason are true, but Reason is not the correct explanation of Assertion.
(C) Assertion is true, but Reason is false.
(D) Assertion is false, but Reason is true.
1. Assertion: Solids have a definite shape and volume.
Reason: The constituent particles in solids are closely packed and held together by strong interparticle attractions.
Answer: (A)
2. Assertion: Liquids do not have a fixed shape but have a definite volume.
Reason: The particles of liquids can move within a limited space while remaining relatively close to one another.
Answer: (A)
3. Assertion: Gases can be compressed more easily than liquids.
Reason: Gas particles have large spaces between them, which can be reduced by applying external pressure.
Answer: (A)
4. Assertion: Potassium permanganate spreads faster in hot water than in cold water.
Reason: The particles of water move faster when heat is provided.
Answer: (A)
5. Assertion: A liquid changes into a gas at its boiling point.
Reason: At the boiling point, the particles gain enough energy to overcome the attractive forces and escape from the liquid.
Answer: (A)
