Physical Properties
This property tells how hot or cold something is.
What is Temperature?
Which tool measures temperature?
A thermometer
Which state of matter has a definite shape?
A solid
Ice changes into liquid water. Was it heated or cooled?
Heated
Would a craft stick or a tissue be better for supporting a small tower? Why?
A craft stick because it is more rigid and strong, so it can support the structure better.
This property tells how much matter is in an object.
What is mass?
Which tool can help compare or measure mass?
A triple beam balance or a scale
Water is poured from a cup into a bowl. What happens to its shape?
It takes the shape of the bowl
Liquid water changes into ice. Was it heated or cooled?
Cooled
Why do engineers think about physical properties when choosing materials?
Different physical properties make materials better suited for different jobs.
A paper clip is attracted to a magnet. What physical property are you testing?
Which tool would you use to test magnetism?
A magnet
Which state of matter spreads out to fill its container?
A gas
Liquid water is heated until it becomes water vapor. What state of matter is the water vapor?
Gas
You need a material that can bend around an object. Would stiff cardboard or flexible foil be a better choice? Why?
Flexible foil because it can bend and change shape around the object.
You place a cork in water and it stays at the surface. What did you observe?
The cork floats in water
What would you need to test whether an object sinks or floats?
A container of water and the object being tested.
True or false: Air is not matter because we cannot see it.
False. Air is a gas. It has mass and takes up space, so it is matter.
Water droplets form on the outside of a cold glass. What process occurred?
Condensation
How could adding clay to loose sand help when making a brick?
The clay can help bind the sand together, making the combined material stronger and easier to shape.
Name four physical properties you can measure, test, or observe in this unit.
Temperature, mass, magnetism, and the ability to sink or float in water (relative density).
You need to collect data about how ice changes as it warms. Name a useful tool AND something you should record.
Example: Use a thermometer to measure temperature and record observations of the ice changing from a solid to a liquid.
Compare the particles in a solid and a gas.
Solid particles are close together and stay in more fixed positions. Gas particles are much farther apart and move freely.
Explain the cause-and-effect relationship between temperature and a change of state.
Heating or cooling changes the temperature of matter and can cause matter to change from one state to another.
A team chooses plastic instead of paper for a container that will hold water. Justify the choice using physical properties.
Plastic is less absorbent/water-resistant and keeps its shape better when wet, making it more suitable for holding water.