Printed by: Thom Thomas

Printed on: 15 January 2020

Lesson 4: States of Matter

Before
*

NGSS

This lesson targets the following Next Generation Science Standards* (NGSS) Crosscutting Concept:

Cause and Effect

Cause and effect relationships may be used to predict phenomena in natural or designed systems.

In the lesson, students will learn that matter exists in different physical states—solids that have a definite volume and shape, liquids that
have a definite volume but no definite shape, and gases that have no definite volume or shape. Call attention to the introductory paragraph
about water changing from one state of matter to another (Read, page 1). Reiterate the cause (why something happens) and effect (what
happens) relationships herein: Liquid water is put in a freezer (cause), and the liquid water turns into solid ice (effect); an ice cube is placed
on a warm plate (cause), and the ice cube melts into liquid water (effect); the plate is placed in sunlight (cause), and the liquid water
becomes water vapor, a gas (effect). On the same page, also spotlight the diagram “States of Matter.” Point out that the state of a
substance is caused by the arrangement and spacing between the particles that make up the substance.

Emphasize how solids and liquids are the same in that they both have a definite volume, but that they differ in that solids have a definite
shape while liquids do not (Read, page 2). Explain that the cause of this difference is related to the arrangement and spacing of particles.
Call attention to the photo of the liquids in containers with different shapes. The liquid oils fill the bottom of the containers they are in
(effect), because the particles of the oil are close together but can slide past one another freely (cause).

Connecting Across Disciplines

The NGSS Crosscutting Concepts dimension provides an organizational structure that has applications across all domains of science and
engineering. Discuss with students that cause and effect relationships are not restricted to the states of matter. Challenge students to
reflect on and discuss other examples of such relationships, including but not limited to:

Changes in environmental conditions may cause certain species to decrease in population while others increase.
Human activities cause the depletion of fossil fuel reserves.
An electric current flowing in an electromagnet causes a magnetic field to be produced.
Unbalanced forces above and below Earth’s surface cause mountain formations.

Consider posting a class list with examples of cause and effect relationships. Students can add to this list as they complete eScience
lessons.

In the lesson’s Investigate, students will practice measuring liquids and learn about the behavior of different liquids, targeting the following
NGSS Science and Engineering Practices:

Analyzing and Interpreting Data

Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

PAGE 1

Preview Lesson Content

Key Concepts

Matter exists in different physical states.

1. Particle arrangement and motion determine the state of matter.

Solid, liquid, and gas are three common states of matter. When a substance changes from one state to another, the
arrangement of its molecules changes. The distance between molecules and the attraction they have for one another
 change.
2. Solid, liquid, and gas are common states of matter.
The state of a substance depends on the space between its particles and the way in which the particles move.
A solid has particles that are close together. The particles are attached to one another and can vibrate in place, but they
cannot move from place to place.
A liquid has particles that are attracted to one another and are close together. The particles can slide over one another and
move from one place to another.
A gas has particles that are not close to one another and can move about freely.
3. Solids have a definite volume and shape.
A solid has a fixed volume and shape. The particles in some solids are in regular patterns and form crystals.
4. Liquids have a definite volume but no definite shape.
A liquid has a definite volume because its particles are close enough together that they cannot move about freely, although
they slide past each other. A liquid takes the shape of the container that it is in.
5. Gases have no definite volume or shape.
A gas has no definite volume or shape. The volume, pressure, and temperature of a gas are related to one another, and
changing one can change the others.

Vocabulary

states of matter
solid
liquid
gas

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Set Learning Goals

Review concepts that students learned in prior lessons:

Matter has mass

Matter is made of atoms
Atoms and molecules in matter are always moving

Review concepts that students will learn in this lesson:

About the different states of matter

How the different states of matter behave

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Warm-Up Activity

Have students draw and label a diagram that shows the relationship between atoms and molecules. Instruct them to write captions for their
diagrams that explain the relationship between the two. Diagrams should show at least two atoms bonded together. Sample Caption:
Atoms combine to form a molecule.

Think
PAGE 1

Fog machines add a fun effect to haunted house parties on Halloween! Have you ever wondered how they work? One way is by using dry
ice.

Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide. Rather than melting when it warms up, carbon dioxide turns straight into gas. The carbon dioxide gas
looks foggy as it rises in the air.

In what other ways is dry ice different from regular ice?

Write your ideas in the text box.

 Credit: (c) 2011 photolibrary.com

PAGE 2

Which of these statements is true of ice and water?

Only water is a liquid.

Only ice is an example of matter.

Only water contains water molecules.

Only ice contains atoms.

Read
PAGE 1

Exploring States of Matter

When you put water in a freezer, the water freezes into a solid (ice). When you
place an ice cube on a warm plate, the ice melts into liquid water again. If you
leave the plate in sunlight, the water becomes water vapor. Ice, water, and water
vapor are made of exactly the same type of molecule—a molecule of 2 hydrogen
atoms and 1 oxygen atom. What, then, makes them different?

Particle arrangement and motion determine the state of matter.

Ice, water, and water vapor are different states of water. States of matter are the
different forms in which matter can exist. The three familiar states are solid, liquid,
and gas. When a substance changes from one state to another, the molecules in
the substance do not change. However, the arrangement of the molecules does
change, giving each state of matter its own characteristics.

Solid, liquid, and gas are common states of matter.

A substance can exist as a solid, a liquid, or Credit: intoit/Shutterstock

a gas. The state of a substance depends on

the space between its particles and on the Click here to learn more.
way in which the particles move. Look at
(The ice and water are both made of water molecules.)
each picture to learn more.

Credit: Houghton Mifflin Company

PAGE 2

Solids have a definite volume and shape.

A piece of ice, a block of wood, and a ceramic cup are solids. They have shapes that do not change and volumes that can be measured.
Any matter that is a solid has a definite shape and a definite volume.

Liquids have a definite volume but no definite shape.

Water, milk, and oil are liquids. A liquid has a definite volume but does not have a definite shape. The
volume of a certain amount of oil can be measured, but the shape that the oil takes depends on the
container it is in.

The molecules in a liquid are close together, but they are not tightly attached to one another like the
molecules in a solid. Molecules in liquids can move independently. As a result, liquids can flow.

Credit: Roberaten/Shutterstock
Instead of having a rigid form, the
molecules in a liquid move and fill the
bottom of the container they are in.

PAGE 3

Gases have no definite volume or shape.

The air that you breathe, the helium in a balloon, and the neon inside the tube in a neon light are
gases. A gas is a substance with no definite volume and no definite shape. Solids and liquids have
volumes that do not change easily. If you have a container filled with 1 liter of a liquid that you pour
into a 2-liter container, the liquid will occupy only half of the new container.

A gas, on the other hand, has a volume that changes to match the volume of its container.

Gas Composition
The molecules in a gas are very far apart compared with the molecules in a solid or a liquid. The
amount of space between the molecules in a gas can change easily. It depends on how many
particles are in the container.

Before Opening

(The atoms of helium gas are constantly in motion. The atoms are spread throughout the entire
tank. )
After Opening

(Although there are fewer helium atoms in the tank after many balloons have been inflated, the
remaining atoms are still spread throughout the tank. However, the atoms are farther apart than Credit: Alistair Scott/iStockphoto

before. ) If a balloon pops, the gas will spread

out.

Gas Behavior
Because gas molecules are always in motion, they are continually hitting one another and the sides of any container they may be in. As the
molecules bounce off one another and the surfaces of the container, they apply a pressure against the container. You can feel the effects of
gas pressure if you pump air into a bicycle tire. The more air you put into the tire, the harder it feels because more gas molecules are
pressing the tire outward.

The speed at which gas molecules move depends on the temperature of the gas. Gas molecules move faster at higher temperatures than
at lower temperatures.
Look at the illustrations to see how the volume, pressure, and temperature of a gas are related to
each other.

Credit: Houghton Mifflin Company

Dictionary

gas: Matter with no definite volume and no definite shape. The molecules in a gas are very far apart, and the amount of space between
them can change easily.

liquid: Matter that has a definite volume but does not have a definite shape. The molecules in a liquid are close together but not bound to
one another.

solid: Matter that has a definite shape and a definite volume. The molecules in a solid are in fixed positions and are close together.

states of matter: The different forms in which matter can exist. Three familiar states are solid, liquid, and gas.

Investigate
*

NGSS

In this Investigate, you will address these Next Generation Science Standards* Science and Engineering Practices:

Analyzing and Interpreting Data

Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

PAGE 1

The Behavior of Liquids

All liquids can flow, but they don’t all flow in the same way. Some flow fast, like water. Others flow slowly, like thick maple syrup. Liquids
with different properties can form layers when they’re mixed together.

In this investigation you will:

practice measuring liquids

learn about the behavior of different liquids

PAGE 2

Materials

graduated cylinder
colored water
test tube
test-tube rack
vegetable oil
corn syrup

Procedure
 1. Click here to print a copy of the table you will use to record your data.
2. Use the graduated cylinder to measure 5 mL of colored water. Add it to the test tube.
3. Measure 5 mL of vegetable oil. Pour the oil into the test tube. Record your observations.
4. Pour a small amount of corn syrup directly into the test tube. Record what happens to all 3
liquids.
5. Add 10 mL more of colored water to the test tube and record what happens.
6. Add 5 mL more of vegetable oil and record what happens.

PAGE 3

Consider the following and write your answer in the text box.

What are some behaviors of each of the liquids in this experiment that can be used to tell
them apart?

Review
PART 1

1. Drag each picture to the correct box.

Does a liquid have a definite shape?

A: Matter with no B: Matter with a C: Matter with a

definite volume and definite volume but definite volume and
no definite shape no definite shape shape

2. Drag each picture to the correct box.

Think about how much the atoms can move in each state.

A: Gas B: Solid C: Liquid

3. Drag each word to match the correct gas behavior described in the chart.
Recall the gas behavior illustrations.
 Down Up

A: If temperature B: If volume remains

remains the same the same and
and pressure goes temperature goes
up, volume goes up, pressure goes
__________. __________.

4. Melted candle wax has no fixed shape, but it does have a fixed volume. So, melted candle wax is a __________.
Melted candle wax can flow.

A Liquid

B Mixture

C Gas

D Solid

5. Drag each term or definition to its correct place on the chart.

The different forms in Matter that has a definite Matter that has a definite Matter with no definite
which matter can exist. shape and a definite volume but does not volume and no definite
volume. The molecules have a definite shape. shape. The molecules
are in fixed positions and The molecules are close are very far apart, and
are close together. together but not bound to the amount of space
one another. between them can

A: States of matter B: Solid C: Liquid D: Gas

PART 2

6. A handful of sand has a definite volume but no definite shape. Sand takes on the shape of the container it is in. Why is the sand not
considered to be a liquid?

Sand is a solid.

Apply
Apply Your Knowledge
Suppose you attend the after-school cooking club. The club’s challenge today is to create a cookie
recipe that incorporates all of the common states of matter.

The following ingredients are available for you to use in your recipe: butter, sugar, flour, milk, eggs,
chocolate chips, water, peanut butter, baking soda, and salt. You can use some or all of the
ingredients. There is an oven for you to use to bake your cookies.

Use what you learned in the lesson about solids, liquids, and gases to write your recipe. Tell which
ingredients you will use and identify each by its state of matter. Then, explain the different states of
matter that are used in each step of the process to make and bake the cookies.

Stretch

Stretch is not available. The Read tab provides the most complex version of the lesson.

Dictionary

gas: Matter with no definite volume and no definite shape. The molecules in a gas are very far apart, and the amount of space between
them can change easily.

liquid: Matter that has a definite volume but does not have a definite shape. The molecules in a liquid are close together but not bound to
one another.

solid: Matter that has a definite shape and a definite volume. The molecules in a solid are in fixed positions and are close together.

states of matter: The different forms in which matter can exist. Three familiar states are solid, liquid, and gas.

After
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STEM Connections

These interdisciplinary activities extend the lesson’s content into STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and other disciplines
to provide students authentic opportunities for scientific inquiry. As a result, they can develop knowledge of real-world scientific ideas and
an understanding of how scientists study the world.

1. Engineering: Scientists and engineers know that the expansion of water as it freezes often causes damage. (Put a can of soda in a
freezer to demonstrate that it will expand enough to break the seal.) Ask students to create a list of real-world examples of the
science principle, and conduct research to learn how engineers design and build structures to withstand freezing water. Examples
include: Pipes carrying water may freeze and burst if temperatures drop too low. Frost in the ground can push posts and pavement
out of alignment. Ice expanding in small cracks and in the road base leads to potholes.

2. Technology/Science/Art: Using a video camera, have students record real-world models of the movements of particles in solids,
liquids, and gases. Encourage students to narrate a comparison of the movements they record. If video cameras are unavailable,
students can create photo montages using digital cameras instead.

3. Science/Language Arts: Students can conduct research to learn about the fourth state of matter: plasma, an electrically charged
gas. Have students compare and contrast plasma’s properties with those of solids, liquids, and gases. They should consider the
characteristics, or behavior of each state of matter, and discuss real-world examples of each. Then, create a game of Jeopardy!™
where students hear an answer and have to come up with the question. Students can work together to write their answers/questions
about the states of matter. Sample Jeopardy-style game questions:
(Answer) The Greeks named it “Apollo” when it appeared as a morning star and “Hermes” when it appeared as an evening
star.
(Question) What is the planet Mercury?
(Answer) The seven stars that are part of constellation Ursa Major and appear to form a spoon with a long handle.
(Question) What is the Big Dipper?

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Related Web Site Links

 NASA: Phases of Matter
States of Matter
What are the States of Matter?
PhET Interactive Simulations: Gas Properties

PAGE 3

Additional Labs

Solids and Liquids

Students will observe solids and liquids to see how they compare.

Materials

water in a cup
ice cube
marble
pie tin

Procedure

1. Have students observe the water, ice, and marble, picking them up and feeling them. Ask students if they can change the shape
and volume of each substance.
2. Students can record their observations, then compare and contrast each object with the other two.
3. Ask:
How are the ice and the water in the cup similar? How are they different? The ice and water are both made of water
molecules; however, ice is solid and water is liquid.
How are the ice and marble similar? How are they different? The ice and the marble are both solid; however, the ice can melt
and change shape.

* and the phrase “Next Generation Science Standards” are registered trademarks of Achieve. Neither Achieve nor the
lead states and partners that developed the Next Generation Science Standards was involved in the production of, and
does not endorse, this product.