The States of Matter

Transcription

1 The States of Matter The audience is invited to stretch their minds about the expanding and contracting world of temperature. Solid, liquid or gas - everyone will see, it s all a matter of degree! Balloons shrink, clouds form and bouncing balls shatter in this program element designed to explore the difference a few - or a few hundred - degrees can make! Recommended Grade Level: 2 6

2 The States of Matter Program Information NJ Standards: 2009 NJCCCS: A: Understand Scientific Explanations B: Generate Scientific Evidence through Active Investigations C: Science Practices D: Participate Productively in Science A: Properties of Matter A: Properties of Matter A: Properties of Matter A: Properties of Matter B: Changes in Matter B: Changes in Matter C: Forms of Energy G: Biogeochemical Cycles Learning Objectives: By the end of the presentation, participants will know and be able to: Identify the states of matter Name the changes between states of matter Identify the direction of heat flow Program Overview: In this program students explore the states of matter (solid, liquid, and gas) with the help of liquid nitrogen. With the help of the nitrogen, students begin to question the true meaning of boiling, freezing, melting, and condensing. Through kinesthetic models and demonstrations students are introduced to the true meaning of the different states of matter. Special Instructions: See requirements next page

3 Thank you for reserving States of Matter There are just a few things we will need: 1. Parking: Safe, legal parking with easy access to our vehicle must be provided. 2. Space: A regular classroom with one large table set up for our equipment and access to a water supply and a working electrical outlet is required. Work surfaces for students are needed. If this program has been booked for more than one class, please ensure that the equipment stays in one room and that the students rotate to us. 3. Equipment: No additional equipment is needed. 4. Restrictions: The audience size is limited to a maximum of Directions: If you know that the online driving directions to your location are inaccurate, please see the next page. Please contact if any of these outlined criteria present an issue.

4 Our Traveling Science Educators normally use MapQuest for directions. Most times the directions are accurate. However: If directions from online services to your venue are inaccurate or difficult to understand, please use this form to clearly print or type directions to your location. If there are any special instructions we must follow once we get to your location, please note them below. Please use this form only. Do not substitute! Venue (program site): Contact name: Date of program: Telephone: Estimated driving time from Liberty Science Center: Hours Minutes To ensure our timely arrival, we MUST know how long it takes to reach you. Directions (Must start from Exit 14B of the N.J. Turnpike or the Holland Tunnel): Please return via mail: Or by fax: Liberty Science Center Traveling Science Program 222 Jersey City Boulevard Jersey City, NJ Attn: Traveling Science Program In case of inclement weather, call as early as possible. Please reschedule for the next working day at Please return this form no later than two weeks prior to our visit.

5 The States of Matter Pre-Visit Activity Guide This packet contains some simple classroom activities utilizing everyday, inexpensive (or even free!) items. Please feel free to duplicate these pages as needed - they are sent on plain white paper to ensure the best quality of reproduction. We suggest that these activities be conducted before our visit in order to familiarize students with some of the concepts we will explore together during our STATES OF MATTER presentation. However, they may be performed after our visit to serve as a reinforcement of the concepts covered in the program. It is entirely at the discretion of the individual teacher as to when and if he/she chooses to use these activities, and whether or not all of the activities are appropriate for his/her class. If you have questions about any of the enclosed activity procedures, please call our Science Educators Associate Director at: We thank you for your interest in our program and eagerly look forward to visiting your school!!!

6 Activities Exploring Matter When molecules absorb energy, they move around at a faster rate. When molecules lose energy, just the opposite effect takes place. This can be demonstrated using kinetic energy, the energy of motion; or using heat, which is another form of energy. It is common sense that the faster things move, the more space they require in order to move around in. (That s probably why we have recess on the playground!) This is also true of molecules. Molecules move around faster and faster when they heat up. They take up more space and collide with each other with increasing frequency as they continue to absorb heat energy. They collectively expand, but individually do not increase in size. The molecules simply attempt to move further and further apart in respect to one another. Cooling something down simply means that you take away heat and energy. When molecules cool down, they move around at a slower rate and do not need so much space. They contract as a group, or move closer together, without any changes in the size of each individual molecule.

7 Pot Full of Molecules Materials: Masking tape or chalk Kids with lots of energy Preparation: Mark three or four circles on the floor with chalk or masking tape, large enough for six to eight children to stand inside comfortably. Procedure: 1. Tell the students that these circles represent pots and that students will represent clumps of water molecules. Have six to eight students stand in each circle swaying gently but keeping their feet on the floor. This represents molecules in solid ice, where the molecules vibrate slowly but stay close together. 2. Next explain to the students that you have turned on the stove, adding heat energy and making the ice melt. The water molecules (students) can move more freely with this added energy, but must stay inside the circle. Let the students mimic liquid molecules for a minute or two. Do they have trouble staying inside the pot? 3. Turn up the heat. Tell the students that the stove is so hot that the water molecules move faster and faster until they become water vapor, a type of gas. As the students move even faster they find that they cannot stay inside the circle. Soon the students are moving around freely. Follow Up: Ask students to describe what happened in each pot as they moved faster and faster? What did it take to make them move faster? Would the same thing happen with other substances? What if honey or soda was used instead of water? What can students tell you about the movement of molecules in solids, liquids and gases? Have students draw a diagram or make a poster of how molecules move in the different states of matter: solids, liquids and gases.

8 Heating Water in a Paper Cup (Teacher Demonstration) Materials: Un-waxed paper cup Spring-type clothespin Water Votive candle in a holder Match Procedure: 1. Challenge students with a question. Is it possible to boil water in a paper cup? Why or why not? Record reasons for both yes and no answers on the chalkboard. 2. Fill the un-waxed paper cup one quarter of the way with water. Light a candle and hold the cup of water over the flame with a clothespin. Ask your students to observe and record what happens. How do they explain what they observe? Do they want to change any of the reasons given for their original hypotheses?

9 Investigating Matter Divide the class into groups of four or five students. These groups need to be responsible enough to work with lit candles. Having more than one group do each experiment allows students to compare results and perhaps find a need to repeat an investigation if the findings of other groups challenge their results. If working with younger students, the teacher can perform the solids investigation as a demonstration and have student groups perform the gas and liquid experiments. Materials (for each student team): Solids Investigation Candle Two strips of different metals such as copper and iron, about 10 inches long Wax shavings Spring-type clothespin Liquid and Gas Investigations Two baby food jars with a hole in each lid Small amount of molding clay Clear plastic soda straws Marker Water Food coloring Preparation: Punch a quarter-inch hole in each baby food jar lid and flatten sharp edges with a hammer and nail. Heated Solids Activity You will need a candle, a match, two strips of different metals, wax shavings and a clothespin. Procedure: 1. Place five or six wax shavings spaced evenly along the two metal strips. 2. Hold one end of the metal strip with a clothespin, keeping the other end in the flame of the candle. Observe and record what happens at intervals of 30 seconds, 60 seconds and two minutes. 3. Will the same thing happen with the other metal strip? Try it and see. Record what happens. 4. How do you explain what happens to the wax?

10 Investigating Matter (Continued) Heated Liquid Activity You will need a baby food jar, a small amount of modeling clay, a clear plastic straw, a marker and food coloring. Procedure: 1. Fill the jar to the top with cold water. Add a drop or two of food coloring. 2. Insert the straw through the hole in the lid of the jar. Make it airtight by putting clay around the hole. (If air can leak in the experiment will not work.) 3. Put the lid on the jar of water, being careful to keep it full. The jar should be so full that water spills over as the cap is screwed on. 4. As the lid is screwed on, water will go up the straw. Mark the level that water reaches inside the straw. 5. Put the setup in a sunny window. 6. Check the water level in the straw every few minutes for two hours and record what happens. Mark the level reached by the water. 7. Move the setup from the sunlight to a cool place. Check the water level again every few minutes. 8. How do you explain what happened? Heated Gas Activity You will need a baby food jar, a small amount of modeling clay, a clear plastic straw, a marker, water and food coloring. Procedure: 1. Put half an inch of water in the baby food jar. Add a drop or two of food coloring. 2. Insert the straw through the hole in the lid so that it will reach the bottom of the jar when the lid is on. Make it airtight by putting clay around the hole. (If air leaks in the experiment will not work.) 3. Put the lid on the jar. The end of the straw must reach into the water. 4. Mark the level that the water reaches in the straw. 5. Put the setup in a sunny window. 6. Check every three or four minutes for at least half an hour. Record what happens. Mark the water level reached in the straw. 7. Move the setup out of the sun to a cool place. Check the water levels every three or four minutes. 8. What happened as the air cooled? Why?