Basics of Matter (Grade 3 Only)
Everything around us that takes up space and has mass
Matter
The temperature at which a liquid turns into a solid.
The freezing point
How does heat affect matter?
It makes particles move faster and spread apart.
What happens when you leave an ice cube outside on a hot day?
It melts into water
Which state of matter keeps its shape?
A solid
The small building blocks that make up everything
Atoms
A change in matter that does not form a new substance.
A physical change
(Video)
How does heat change matter from one state to another?
Heat is absorbed when matter melts or evaporates, and released when it freezes or condenses.
What happens when you put water in a freezer?
It freezes and turns into ice.
Which state of matter spreads out to fill its container?
A gas
The way something feels, like smooth or rough.
Texture
What happens to the particles in a solid when they are heated?
They move faster and spread apart. Example: Ice melting into water.
Why is matter changing phases a physical change and not a chemical change?
Because the substance stays the same and can be reversed. Example: Water freezing into ice and melting back.
Describe one way that matter can change from one state to another.
Example: Ice melting. This is a physical change because it can freeze back into ice again.
What do we call the process of a liquid turning into a gas?
Evaporation
The amount of space something takes up.
Volume
What is the difference between sublimation and deposition?
Sublimation: A solid turns into a gas. Deposition: A gas turns into a solid
(Video)
Name three ways heat can change matter.
Melting: When a solid (like ice) gets warm, it turns into a liquid (like water).
Freezing: When a liquid (like water) gets cold, it turns into a solid (like ice).
Evaporation: When a liquid (like water) gets warm, it turns into a gas (like steam).
Condensation: When a gas (like steam) cools down, it turns into a liquid (like water droplets).
Sublimation: When a solid (like dry ice) changes directly into a gas without becoming a liquid first.
Deposition: When a gas (like water vapor) changes directly into a solid (like frost) without becoming a liquid first.
Why can you see your breath on a cold day?
Water vapour in your breath condenses into tiny water droplets.
How do atoms look in different states of matter?
In a solid, they are packed tightly. In a liquid, they move around but stay close. In a gas, they spread far apart.
A substance that takes the shape of its container but keeps the same volume.
A liquid
Explain how water goes through the three phases of matter.
Water can freeze into ice (solid), melt into liquid, and evaporate into gas.
What happens when you cool down water vapor?
It condenses into a liquid (water droplets).
What happens when you boil water?
It turns into steam (water vapour)
What are the three states of matter?
Solid, liquid, and gas