A2 Solids, Liquids and Gases

Part 1: Identification of Solids, Liquids and Gases. In Science we categorise things in many ways. One of the ways we categorise is objects is whether it is a SOLID, LIQUID or a GAS. A Liquid is anything that flows or runs like water. Some liquids may flow slowly, like honey, but if it flows we call it a Liquid. Liquids need to be kept in containers. Water is a liquid. Air is a Gas. We dont see gases but we know they are there. When we breathe in and out we are breathing gases. When we blow up balloons, or tires, it is Gas that is going into them. There are MANY sorts of gases that mix with air, and although they cannot be seen, they can be SMELLED. All smells are something in a gas form. The smell of perfume, is PARTICLES of liquid perfume becoming gas, moving through the air, and being detected by your nose. Some Gases are poisonous to breathe, If you smell something unpleasant get to fresh air and tell an adult, for example gas burned on a cooker. A Solid has a distinct shape and size. They sit by themselves without the need for a container. Some are hard and brittle, some soft and flexible, some are light, and heavy. If an object keeps it shape when it is left alone it is a solid. Things that have very small particles , like powder or granules, look like they flow! For example Sugar. BUT they are solids because if we sweep it into a pile it keeps it shape, but a liquid will immediately spread out again. A Pencil is a Solid.

Activity 1: Take a various objects, and have the children identify weather they belong to Solid, Liquid or Gas Category. Take pictures of the result. Activity 2: There are many things that are combinations of Solids, Liquids and Gas, E.g. Living Things. Have the child identify the states of matter of the parts of the body. Use body worksheet and have child point out where the different matter is.

Part 2: Changes between Solids, Liquids, and Gas Activity 3: Children classify an ice cube. They should observe the melting of the ice, and the freezing of the liquid. Consider butter, and wax. Take pictures of the process. What is water, Solid, Liquid or Gas? Solid, Liquid and Gas refer to the present state of the material. The conclusion is that some things will change between states. What does the change depend on? Temperature. As something becomes dry what happens to the water? Many other things turn to gas and mix with the air. E.g. Perfume, spices. All S,L &G are referred to as MATTER. Everything in the world is made of MATTER, including living or biological material, non-living material, human made material and those that occur naturally. We ORGANISE everything in the world into 3 CATEGORIES, S, L & G.

Activity 4 Review: 1. 2. 3. 4. What is the one word that embraces all solids, liquids and gases? The world is made of different states of matter. Describe how this is so. Describe how you and/ or other living things are made of different states of matter. Could an actively living organism be entirely one state of mater? Describe how this would be impossible. 5. Give examples , illustrating how a substance may change between, S,L &G states. What is generally involved in causing the change.