🔥 Hot Plate Experiment: Melting & Boiling
Watch ice transform from a solid to a liquid to a gas as thermal energy (heat) is added!
The ice is frozen water
💡 What's Happening?
The ice cube is below freezing temperature. The water particles are locked in a fixed pattern, vibrating slightly but staying in place.
❄️ Freezer Experiment: Freezing
Watch liquid water transform into solid ice as thermal energy (heat) is removed!
The water flows freely
💡 What's Happening?
The water is at room temperature in its liquid state. The particles are moving freely, sliding past each other.
📓 Science Journal: States of Matter
📖 The Three States of Matter
What is Matter?
Everything around us is made of matter. Matter is anything that has mass and takes up space. All matter is made up of tiny particles that are too small to be seen!
🧊 Solid — Frozen / Rigid Phase
In a solid, particles are packed tightly in a fixed pattern. They vibrate in place but cannot move freely. Solids have definite shape and volume.
💧 Liquid — Fluid Phase
In a liquid, particles can slide past each other. Liquids take the shape of their container but have definite volume.
💨 Gas — Vapor Phase
In a gas (vapor), particles spread far apart and move quickly. Gases have no definite shape or volume — they fill any container!
🔄 Phase Changes
What Causes Phase Changes?
Matter can change from one state to another! These changes are called phase changes. They happen when we add or remove thermal energy (heat energy).
🔥 Melting (Solid → Liquid)
When we add thermal energy to a solid, particles vibrate faster. At the melting point (0°C for water), particles break free from fixed positions.
❄️ Freezing (Liquid → Solid)
When we remove thermal energy from a liquid, particles slow down. At the freezing point (0°C for water), particles lock into fixed positions.
💨 Boiling (Liquid → Gas)
When we add even more heat, particles escape as gas! At 100°C, water rapidly turns into steam (water vapor).
🎈 Remember!
Even though we can see ice, water, and steam, the individual particles are far too small to see. Air in a balloon is made of invisible particles!
💡 Key Concepts & Vocabulary
🎈 Particles You Can't See: Air in a Balloon
Even though you can't see them, air particles are bouncing around inside, pushing against the walls!