States of Matter

What students will do

Students identify the state of matter inside sealed balloons and test tube specimens, then watch a particle model demonstration on the whiteboard to explain what they observed at a molecular level. They grow crystals from a sodium silicate solution and Epsom salts, then compare five liquids, water, glycerine, methylated spirits, oil and dish soap, for surface tension and viscosity using dropper bottles, observing how the soap breaks the surface tension of the water. Working in pairs, students observe wax and gallium change state in hot water as the facilitator demonstrates how different materials have different melting points. Students make their own bouncy balls by mixing polymer powder with water in a mould, and a whole-class lava lamp demonstration closes the session.

Learning outcomes

• Classify solids, liquids and gases based on observable properties using sealed balloons and test tube specimens
• Describe how particles behave differently in solids, liquids and gases using a particle model
• Grow crystals from a solution and describe crystals as a solid in which particles are arranged in a specific, repeating order
• Compare five liquids for viscosity and surface tension, and explain how soap can break the surface tension of water
• Investigate how adding heat causes changes of state, including in a material with an unusually low melting point such as gallium
• Describe a semisolid as a substance that behaves as both a solid and a liquid, using a homemade bouncy ball as an example

Curriculum links

• VC2S4U04·Core

  Solids, liquids and gases have different observable properties, and adding or removing heat can cause a substance to change state. View on VCAA ↗

• VC2S4I03·Core

  Formal measurements, including the use of familiar scaled instruments, can be made and recorded to represent and compare data. View on VCAA ↗

• VC2TDE4C04·Related

  Explain how the properties of materials affect their use in designed solutions. View on VCAA ↗