What’s the Matter?
What do you call anything that has mass and takes up space?
Matter
Which state of matter has a definite shape and volume?
Solid
What is the term for the change from liquid to gas?
Evaporation
Give one example of a gas at home and explain why it's a gas.
Ex: air in a balloon – no shape or volume
Why does ice melt faster when it’s left under the sun?
The sun gives heat, which makes the ice melt faster.
Name the three states of matter.
Solid, liquid, gas
Which state of matter takes the shape of its container but keeps its volume?
Liquid
You left ice cubes on the table and they melted. What phase change happened?
melting
Evaluate why understanding phase changes is important for cooks or bakers.
Affects cooking, freezing, boiling
You see water droplets on the window early in the morning. What do you think caused them?
Water vapor in the air cooled down and became liquid again (condensation).
A student claims that air is not matter because we can’t see it. Do you agree or disagree? Justify
Disagree – air has mass and takes up space
Compare the shape and volume of solids and gases.
Solids have definite shape/volume; gases don’t
A water bottle left in the freezer turned solid. What process occurred?
Freezing
Choose which change is more useful in everyday life: freezing or evaporation. Explain.
Any justified answer (e.g., freezing for ice, evaporation for drying)
When a balloon is left in the sun, it gets bigger. Why do you think this happens?
Heat makes the air inside the balloon expand.
You are given a list of objects. How will you determine whether each one is a solid, liquid, or gas?
By analyzing properties like shape and volume
Why do liquids settle at the bottom of a container while gases rise?
Because of density differences
Steam turns back into water. What change occurred? Was heat gained or lost?
Condensation – heat lost
You observe water droplets forming on the outside of a cold glass. What phase change is that?
Condensation
Why do puddles disappear faster on a sunny day than on a cloudy day?
The sun makes the water evaporate faster.
What clues can help you determine if something is a gas and not a liquid?
No definite shape/volume; spreads freely
If you were to store a substance sensitive to temperature, what state of matter would be most stable and why?
Solid – less likely to change
What happens to candle wax when it melts — does it turn into a different material or stay the same?
It stays the same; it’s still wax but in liquid form.
Your classmate says, “When water boils, it turns into a different kind of matter.” Do you agree or disagree? Why?
Disagree – it's still water, just in gas form (water vapor); it didn’t become something new.
You placed two cups of water—one in a warm place and one in a cold place. After a few hours, one cup has less water. Which cup is it and why?
The warm one, because heat makes water evaporate faster.