What
are the three states of matter?
National Science Standards:
Content Standard A: Science as Inquiry
Content Standard B: Physical Science – Properties of Objects and Materials
This activity demonstrates properties of the three states of matter
*NOTE: Educators/Parents should consider reading the entire text to
their children, if necessary, as they assist the child with the activity.
- The three main states of matter are gas, liquid, and solid.
- A GAS moves and fills up the container it is in.
- A LIQUID takes the shape of its container.
- A SOLID has a shape you can see (and usually feel).
- A material can change from one state of matter into another state of matter.
ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS IN KINDERGARTEN
water, clear plastic cups, permanent marker, plastic plate, Popsicle®
or ice, crayon, pebble, paper towels, worksheets (in Student Worksheets Section)
- Look around your room. Find objects you believe are SOLID. A SOLID object
has a shape that does not usually change when touched or moved.
- Pour water into a clear plastic cup. Study the water. It is a LIQUID. A
LIQUID cannot hold its shape when it is taken out of its container.
- Blow into your hand. You can feel air moving against your hand. Air is
a GAS. A GAS cannot usually be seen but it can usually be felt. A GAS constantly
moves around inside its container.
- Material can change from one state of matter into another state of matter.
Water is the best example of this change.
When a GAS changes into a LIQUID, it CONDENSES.
When a LIQUID changes into a GAS, it EVAPORATES.
- You will study EVAPORATION with Worksheet A.
- Complete Worksheet A.
- When finished, you will study CONDENSATION with Worksheet B.
- Complete Worksheet B.
- When finished, you will discover (with Worksheet C) that it is possible
for some materials to have characteristics of more than one state of matter.
- Complete Worksheet C.
FOLLOW UP DISCUSSION
Ask students to state other places from which water can evaporate.
Ask students to name other solids that can melt.
ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS IN GRADE ONE
*NOTE: Conduct the kindergarten activity before you begin this activity.
This activity demonstrates that the same material can exist as a liquid
and a solid.
five identical clear containers (plastic cups can be used), water,
ice, liquid white glue, hardened white glue, Jell-O® mix, ice cube
trays, plastic spoon, paper towels, worksheet (in Student Worksheets Section)
PREPARATION NOTE: Cubes of frozen white glue and cubes of Jell-O® must
be created before this activity begins.
- Sometimes, it is hard to know how to classify a material as only one state
of matter. You can cause a material to change its state of matter when you mix
two materials. A good example of this change occurs when you mix SOLID cake
batter with LIQUID water. The cake batter is now a LIQUID.
- Place water, an ice cube, white glue from a bottle, and frozen white glue
in separate containers.
- Complete Worksheet D – Part ONE.
- Place a cube of Jell-O® in a clear container.
- Complete Worksheet D – Part TWO.
FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSION:
Show an inflated balloon to students. Have the students determine all states
of matter demonstrated by the balloon.
Determine other items that can be formed and observed within more than one state
of matter.
ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS IN GRADE TWO
*NOTE: Conduct the kindergarten and grade one activities before you
begin this listed activity.
This activity demonstrates that mixing materials
can create new materials with special properties.
bowl or aluminum pie plate, plastic spoon, cornstarch
(4 tbs/60 mL), water (2 tbs/30 mL), paper towels, newspaper, worksheets (in Student Worksheets Section)
- Examine the cornstarch and water separately. Determine whether each is a
gas, a liquid, or a solid.
- Record your observations on Worksheet E, Box 1.
- Predict how the materials will act when combined.
- Record your observations on Worksheet E, Box 2.
- Combine the cornstarch and water in your bowl or aluminum pie plate.
- Stir the mixture with your spoon.
- Touch the mixture with your fingers.
- Try to make a “ball” of this mixture in your hands.
- Allow it to “drip” from your spoon.
- Record your observations on Worksheet E, Box 3.
FOLLOW-UP DISCUSSION:
Allow students to investigate other materials such as shaving cream, Play-Doh®,
and ketchup. These materials have characteristics of more than one state of
matter. What causes the students to believe materials should only be classified
as one state of matter?
Allow the material you selected above to remain exposed to air overnight. Did
their characteristics change?
STUDENT WORKSHEETS SECTION
KINDERGARTEN - WORKSHEET A (EVAPORATION)
The cups should be placed near a window as they are in this drawing:
1. If this activity is conducted as a classroom activity, students should write
their names on their plastic cups.
2. Fill the cups about half full of water.
3. Mark the water level on each glass with the permanent marker.
4. Set the glasses near a window. It is good if this area feels warm.
5. Predict what will happen to the water in the cup. Write your prediction
in this space.
6. Check the cup the next day. Did the water level change? If so, how did it
change? Write your observations in this space.
7. Check the water level again for the next three days. Record your observations
in this space.
KINDERGARTEN - WORKSHEET B (CONDENSATION)
1. Place several ice cubes into a plastic cup. Cover the cup and ice with a
paper towel.
2. Let the cup sit in a warm place for a while, just as you did with the cup
for Worksheet A.
3. Look at the outside of your cup. Write down in this space what happened
to the cup.
4. Where do you think the water you see on the cup came from?
GRADE ONE - WORKSHEET C
1. Place an ice cube in a plastic cup.
2. Let the cup sit in a warm place for a while just as you did with the cup
for Worksheet A.
3. Watch the ice cube for several minutes.
4. Write down what happened to the ice. Why did it happen?
5. Predict what will happen with a Popsicle®, a crayon, and a pebble if
they are placed in a cup in a warm place. Write your predictions in this space.
6. Place each item in its own plastic cup. Watch what happens to the items
for several minutes. Were your predictions correct? If any prediction was not
correct, think of reasons why the result was different.
GRADE TWO - WORKSHEET D
Part ONE
Set up your materials to look like this drawing:
1. Place water, an ice cube, white glue from a bottle, and frozen white glue
in separate containers.
2. In what ways are ice and water the same? What is the same about the liquid
glue and the solid glue?
Part TWO
1. Place a Jell-O® cube in a plastic cup.
2. Shake the cup. Touch the Jell-O® with a plastic spoon.
3. Eat the Jell-O® cube. Do you think the Jell-O® cube should be considered
a solid or a liquid? Why did you make this choice? Write your reasons in this
space.
WORKSHEET E (Observations)
Box 1
Box 2
Box 3
|
