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States of Matter Explorer

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States of Matter Explorer

Help Maia investigate what happens to matter in a chilly Aotearoa morning. Read the information and use the particle descriptions to solve each challenge. Remember: matter is anything that has mass and takes up space.

Maia’s chilly-morning investigation

Maia leaves an ice cube in a bowl on the kitchen bench. After a while, it becomes a puddle. Later, she warms some water in a pot. Bubbles form, and water vapour rises. When the vapour touches a cool lid, tiny drops of liquid water appear. The water has changed state, but it has not disappeared.

1.Name the state of matter for each item in Maia’s investigation: (a) the ice cube, (b) the puddle, and (c) the water vapour.
2.A particle model shows particles packed closely together but arranged irregularly. Which state of matter does this model represent?
  • Solid
  • Liquid
  • Gas
3.In a solid, particles are packed closely in fixed positions and only vibrate. Use this information to explain why an ice cube keeps its own shape when it is placed in a bowl.
4.A liquid has a fixed volume, but it takes the shape of its container. True or false? Explain your choice.
5.Complete the changes of state: ice warming into liquid water is ; water vapour cooling into liquid water is .
6.A friend says, “When water evaporates, its particles disappear.” What is the mistake in this explanation? Write a corrected explanation.
7.Maia traps air in a sealed plastic bag. Which statement best describes the air?
  • It has a fixed shape and fixed volume.
  • It has a fixed volume but no fixed shape.
  • It spreads out to fill the space available inside the bag.
8.A solid particle model shows particles packed closely together. Describe how the spacing of particles in a gas compares with the spacing in a solid.
9.Tiny liquid drops form when water vapour touches the cool lid. Describe what happens to the water particles during this change.
10.Maia puts a sealed bottle of liquid water in a freezer. Predict what state the water will be in after it freezes, and explain what has changed about its particles.

2 printable pages

  • States of Matter Explorer, page 1 of 2: Maia’s chilly-morning investigation

    Page 1

  • States of Matter Explorer, page 2 of 2: 6. A friend says, “When water evaporates, its particles disappear.” What is the mistake…

    Page 2

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