Experiment No.

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STATES OF MATTER AND PHASE CHANGE

In this activity you will be exploring the various states of matter. Atomic theory states that all
matter is made up of tiny particles in random, constant motion. In this activity you will be able
to see how.
https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/states-of-matter-basics/latest/states-of-matter-basics_en.html
1. Click on the “States Lab” link on Mr. Hewitt’s web page.

2. You should be seeing Neon in the solid state with a temperature of 14K. If not press the

reset button.

3. What do the particles seem to be doing?

The particles are vibrating continuously while staying close to one another and forming
a big family of particles of the same kind.

4. Try out the other Atoms & Molecules.

5. What can you say about what you observed?

Hmm observing oxygen and argon has no difference with neon. The particles are
compressed and found in one place only forming a square shape structure. They
can't move freely because they are compressed and compacted. But in water, yes
particles are compacted but slightly compressed because they are in liquid form
and the form, they made is not square in shape but irregular so it can't be
determined. The bottom line of observing these atoms and molecules in a solid-
state is that they form a shape and somehow their atoms or molecules are
compressed and compacted.

Explore all the Atoms & Molecules by clicking on the different states tabs at the sideand record
the temperature and what you observe in the following data table.
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6. Data and observations:

Solids Liquids Gases

Atom & Temp. Appearance of Temp. Appearance of Temp. Appearance of
Molecules in K/Co the particles in K/Co the particles in K/Co the particles

Neon 14K the particles are 28K The particles are 56K The particles are
vibrating spread out at the randomly
continuously bottom and moving around
while staying randomly move the container and
very close to one around but not there seems to be
another. too far from the no grouping of
bottom. particles.

Argon 43K The particles are 86k The particles are 189k The particles are
vibrating spread out in the randomly
continuously bottom and moving around
while staying randomly move the container and
very close to one around but not there seems to be
another. too far from the no grouping of
bottom. Some particles
particles can be
seen moving far
away from the
bottom.
Oxygen 27K The particles 57K The pairs are a 113K The pairs
seem to form bit spread out at randomly move
small pairs that the bottom around the
stay very close to container and
one another at there seems to be
the bottom no grouping of
pairs

Water 146K Two like and 286K The groups are 430K The small groups
one, unlike spread at the are randomly
particle, seem to bottom of the moving all over
form pairs that container and the container.
stay close to one stay close to one
another but are another
spread up to the
middle of the
container

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 7. What do you notice about the solid state of water compared to the other solid states?

When compared to others, the solid state of water is stretched out up to the
middle of the container because their solid state is compact and consumes less
area.

8. Pick any one substance from the Atom & Molecule list. Pick any one state of matter.

List your choices here:

Atom & Molecule OXYGEN

State of Matter LIQUID

9. Using the Heat/Cool tool at the bottom move the slider up and

down to add/remove heat. Describe what you noticed.

ACTION RESULT

Add Heat Once we add heat, the temperature rises, and the particles begin to rise and
finally break away from the group, and at higher temperatures, they begin to
behave like a gas.

Take Away Heat When we cool down the temperature is lower and the particle slowly starts
to vibrate less and eventually stops vibrating.

10. Summarize what you have learned:

I’ve learned that Solid-state exists at lower temperatures and as we increase the
temperature the particles behave like a liquid state and at higher temperatures,
they behave like a gas state.

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Part 2: Phase Change

1. Click on the “Phase Changes” at the bottom of the screen.

2. On the screen you see Neon particles in which state of matter?

The neon is in a solid state.

3. From the screen what two factors does it appear that we will be able to change?

PRESSURE & TEMPERATURE

4. Record the Temperature in K and Co The temperature is 14K and 259.16C o

5. Record the Pressure in atms. The pressure is 0.0 atm

6. Using the “Heat/Cool” tool add and remove heat and record what you observe in the data

table below:

Type of Change Temperature in Pressure in atm. What you notice about the
K and Co particles
Add heat 39K 5.8 atm The particles start to rise and
and −234.15Co break away from the group.
13.5 atm
Most of the particles are now
44K free and move around the
and −229.15Co 20.1atm container.

48K The particles now behave like

and −225.15Co gas and are moving
randomly around the container.

Remove heat 8K 0.0atm The particle starts vibrating

and −265.15Co slowly
0.0 atm
The particle vibrates much
3K slower and come closer to one
and −270.15Co 0.0 atm another.

0K The particles have now

and −273.15Co completely stopped vibrating
and are compact in size and rest
at the bottom of the container

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 7. Put your cursor on the “finger” and push down about half way.

8. Describe what, if any, changes you noticed.

When we heat up Neon the temperature and pressure also increased.

9. Put more Neon into the chamber by using your cursor to pump the handle up and

down on the pump.

10. Describe what, if any, changes you noticed.

When Neon was called down the temperature and pressure

kept decreasing.

11. Using the “finger” tool push down as far as you can.

12. Describe what happened and explain why.

The pressure and temperature increase, because those that move faster collide with
the container walls more frequently and with higher force. This increases the force
on the container's walls, causing the pressure to rise.

13. What relationship did you discover using this simulation?

I’ve discovered using this simulation is that the pressure increases while the
temperature decreases.

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