Reversible and Irreversible Changes

Unit 4 Reversible and irreversible changes
Review of prior learning
Learning objectives from Stages 1–5 LB pages WB pages TG pages

4Cc.01 Describe solidification/freezing and melting, using the 42–45 26 64–67
particle model to describe the change of state.
4Cc.02 Understand that the change of state of a substance is a 42–45 64–67
physical process.
Learning objectives overview

Biology Online resources LB pages WB pages TG pages
Properties of materials Flashcards/Audio
6Cp.01 Know that the temperature at which a substance Worksheet 2 46–47 27–29 68–71
changes state is a property of the substance.
6Cp.03 Understand that electrical conductivity and 46–47 30 68–71
thermal conductivity are properties of a substance.
Changes to materials
6Cc.01 Identify and describe physical changes that are Unit 4 Slide 1 42–45 26–30 64–67
reversible. Unit 4 Video 46–47 68–71
6Cc.02 Describe how temperature affects solids dissolving Worksheets 3–4 58–60 32 80–82
in liquids and relate it to the particle model.
6Cc.03 Describe the difference between boiling and Unit 4 Slides 2–4 48–51 31 72–75
evaporation. 52–57 75–80
6Cc.04 Understand that chemical reactions involve 61–67 32 83–87
substances, called reactants, interacting to form new
substances, called products.
6Cc.05 Observe and describe the evidence that a chemical 61–67 34 83–87
reaction has taken place (limited to a gas being produced,
colour change and change in temperature).
Thinking and Working Scientifically LB pages WB pages TG pages

Models and representations
6TWSm.01 Describe how a model can help us understand and 58, Let's talk 81
describe scientific phenomena and ideas.
6TWSm.02 Use models, including diagrams, to represent and 58, Activity 1 81
describe scientific phenomena and ideas. 58, Let’s talk
Purpose and planning
6TWSp.01 Ask scientific questions and select appropriate 46, Activity 2 69
scientific enquiries to use.
6TWSp.02 Know the features of the five main types of scientific 49, Activity 2 73
enquiry. 50, Let’s talk
6TWSp.03 Make predictions, referring to relevant scientific 49, Let’s talk 29 70, 73
knowledge and understanding within familiar and unfamiliar 53, Activity 2 and 4 77–78
contexts. 56, Let’s talk 78
59, Activity 1
60, Let’s talk
6TWSp.04 Plan fair test investigations, identifying the 47, Activity 2 28 70
independent, dependent and control variables. 56, Activity 1 29 77–82
6TWSp.05 Describe risks when planning practical work and 54, Activity 1 78
consider how to minimise them. 61, Activity 1 84
63
Carrying out scientific enquiry

6TWSc.03 Choose equipment to carry out an investigation and 46, Activity 2 69–70
use it appropriately. 47, Let’s talk
47, Activity 2
6TWSc.05 Take appropriately accurate measurements. 56, Activity 1 78–79
6TWSc.06 Carry out practical work safely. 55, Activity 1 78–79
56, Activity 1
6TWSc.08 Collect and record observations and/or measurements 47, Activity 2 70
in tables and diagrams appropriate to the type of scientific 50, Activity 2 74
enquiry.
Analysis, evaluation and conclusions
6TWSa.03 Make a conclusion from results informed by scientific 49, Activity 1 32 73
understanding. 50, Let’s talk 74
51, Activity 1 74
60, Let’s talk 82
62, Activity 1 84
6TWSa.04 Suggest how an investigation could be improved and 50, Let’s talk 74
explain any proposed changes.
6TWSa.05 Present and interpret results using tables, bar charts, 47, Activity 2 27 70
dot plots, line graphs and scatter graphs. 50, Activity 2 32 74
Science in Context LB pages WB pages TG pages

6SIC.03 Use science to support points when discussing issues, 65, Science in context 85
situations or actions.
6SIC.04 Identify people who use science, including professionally, 64, Science in context 84–85
in their area and describe how they use science.
6SIC.05 Discuss how the use of science and technology can have 64, Science in context 84–85
positive and negative environmental effects on their local area. 65, Science in context
These learning objectives are reproduced from the Cambridge Primary Science (0097) curriculum framework from 2020. This Cambridge International
copyright material is reproduced under licence and remains the intellectual property of Cambridge Assessment International Education.
Cross-curricular links LB pages WB pages TG pages

Mathematics 46, Activity 1 27 68, 69, 70
47, Activity 1 74
50, Activity 1–2
51, Activity 1
Focus on materials and reversible and irreversible changes

Learner’s Book Learning objectives
pages 42–45
Revision of:
Workbook page 26 • 4Cc.01 Describe solidification/freezing and melting, using
the particle model to describe the change of state.
Unit 4 Slide 1
Unit 4 Video
• 4Cc.02 Understand that the change of state of a
substance is a physical process.
Visual 14
Unit 4 Flashcards • 6Cc.01 Identify and describe physical changes that are
reversible.
Unit 4 Audio
64
Background information
The purpose of the activities on pages 42–45 of the Learner’s Book is to assess what learners already know
about materials and material changes. Learners will be introduced to reversible and irreversible changes in
materials and begin to explore reversible changes caused by heating and cooling.
Everything we see around us is made up of matter. Scientists define matter as anything that has volume
(takes up space) and has mass or weighs something. Matter exists in various states. The three most
common states of matter on Earth are solid, liquid and gas.
When scientists talk about materials, they refer to the types of matter that objects are made from. When
materials are heated or cooled, they may change state. If a solid is heated enough, it may melt (change
into a liquid). If a liquid is cooled enough, it may freeze (change into a solid). If a liquid is heated enough, it
may evaporate (change into a gas). If a gas is cooled enough, it may condense (change into a liquid).
A reversible change in a material (sometimes referred to as a physical change) is a change that means the
material can easily be changed back to the way it was before the change took place. An irreversible change
is a change that means the material cannot be easily changed back to the way it was before the change
took place.
Reversible changes alter the physical properties of a material (what it looks or feels like) but do not produce
new materials. Reversible changes include dissolving, freezing, melting, evaporation and condensation.
Starter activity suggestions

• Organise learners into small groups. Give each group a different selection of everyday objects made of
various materials. You could include objects made of a mixture of materials. Ask learners to use sticky
notes to label each object with the material or materials it is made from.
• Ask each group to work with another group, combining the collections of objects and sorting them into
groups according to the materials they are made from.
Activity notes and answers
Page 42 Materials
Let’s talk
‘Matter’ is what everything is made of.
‘Materials’ are the types of matter objects are made from.
‘States of matter’ are the different forms that matter takes, such as solid, liquid and gas.
Activity 1
a can be poured – liquids and gases
b keep their shape – solids
c fill up spaces – gases
d take the shape of their container – liquids (also allow gases)
e usually invisible – gases
f can be cut or shaped – solids
g move around – gases
Activity 2
A (inflated) party balloon: rubber (solid), air (gas)
B pan of boiling water: metal (solid), water (liquid), bubbles (gas), steam (liquid)
C glass of iced water: glass (solid), water (liquid), ice (solid)
D pen: plastic (solid), metal (solid), ink (liquid)
E sponge: sponge/plastic (solid), holes in sponge (filled with air, which is a gas)
F bottle of oil: glass bottle (solid), metal or plastic cap (solid), oil (liquid); also accept: the gap between the
top of the oil and the top of the bottle is filled with air, which is a gas
65
Page 43 Changing materials

Activity 1
A melting B evaporation
C freezing D evaporation
E condensation F melting
Activity 2
a melting
b evaporation
c freezing
d condensation
Activity 3
Encourage learners to work in groups. Point out to learners that acrostics do not need to start with the first
letter of a word (see the example in the Learner’s Book). They do work best if they make a sentence. If this
is too difficult for learners, they can construct their acrostic using words that link to the key word. Once
complete, ask learners to read out their acrostics to each other.
Page 44 Reversible or irreversible?
Let’s talk
a Change taking place b Reversible or irreversible?/How to reverse?
A Butter is melting Reversible/by cooling
B Cake mixture is baking Irreversible
C Lolly is freezing Reversible/by heating
D Match is burning Irreversible
E Iron nail is rusting Irreversible
F Sugar is dissolving Reversible/by evaporation
Activity 1
Learners’ pictures should show condensation and be labelled ‘reversible’.
Learners’ pictures should show toasting and be labelled ‘irreversible’.
Learners’ pictures should show rotting and be labelled ‘irreversible’.
Learners’ pictures should show evaporation and be labelled ‘reversible’.
Page 45 Reversible changes
Activity 1
Example answers:
Reversible change It happens when … It can be reversed by …
a freezing a liquid is cooled and becomes a solid heating the solid so that it turns back
into a liquid
b melting a solid is heated and becomes a liquid cooling the liquid so that it turns back
into a solid
c vaporisation a liquid is heated and becomes a gas cooling the gas so that it turns back
into a liquid
d condensation a gas is cooled and becomes a liquid heating the liquid so that it turns back
into a gas
Activity 2
Encourage learners to use the table from Activity 1 to assist with an idea for a reversible change and how to
reverse it. Water may be the most obvious material to use to demonstrate reversible changes. However, to
make the demonstrations more interesting, encourage each group to choose a different material, such as
butter, chocolate or candlewax.
66
Let’s talk
Whether or not the material is the same as it was before being used in Activity 2 depends on the material.
For example, if learners melt a square of chocolate and then cool the chocolate to change it back into a
solid, the solidified chocolate will be a different shape compared to before it was melted. Learners should
understand that this is still classified as a reversible change, even though the material is not exactly
the same as it was to start with. Explain that the material is still chocolate; no new materials have been
produced or made from it.
Further activities
• Ask learners to complete Workbook page 26.
• Display the Unit 4 Slide 1 (boost-learning.com). Discuss the questions as a class.
• Show learners the Unit 4 Video: Cooking an egg (boost-learning.com). Discuss whether this is an example
of a reversible or an irreversible change.
• Ask learners to collect photographs and images from newspapers, magazines and the internet that show
changes of state (melting, freezing, evaporation and condensation). Learners make four collages, one for
each change of state.
• Ask learners to label everyday objects with the name of the materials they are made from and state
whether each material is a solid, a liquid or a gas.
• Ask learners to keep a ‘changes in materials’ diary, observing the changes in materials that take place
around them during the course of a day. Learners should record whether each change is reversible or
irreversible. For example, water evaporating and condensing during a shower, boiling water in a kettle or
water evaporating when rain puddles dry.
Unit 4 Slide 1 answers Workbook answers

Reversible and irreversible changes Page 26 Changes to
a water: boiling; ice cream: melting; car: rusting; fruit: rotting. materials
b Melting and boiling. Freezing reverses melting and condensation Learners’ answers will vary.
reverses boiling. Check their annotated
c Evaporation, freezing, condensation and dissolving. diagrams.
d Rotting and rusting.
e Examples include burning, cooking (including frying, roasting,
baking and toasting), making yoghurt, making butter, making
concrete, mixing vinegar with bicarbonate of soda, and mixing
plaster of Paris with water.
Success criteria
While completing the activities, assess and record learners.
Learning objectives Success criteria
4Cc.01 Describe solidification/freezing and Learners can describe freezing and melting.
melting, using the particle model to describe the
change of state.
4Cc.02 Understand that the change of state of a Learners can make comparisons between a
substance is a physical process. material before it undergoes a change and
the same material after the change has been
reversed.
6Cc.01 Identify and describe physical changes Learners can explain what process is needed to
that are reversible. reverse a reversible change.
67
Focus on melting and freezing

pages 46–47
• 6Cp.01 Know that the temperature at which a substance
Workbook pages 27–30 changes state is a property of the substance.
• 6Cp.03 Understand that thermal conductivity is a property
Worksheet 2 of a substance.
• 6Cc.01 Identify and describe physical changes that are
Visual 15 reversible.
• 6TWSp.01 Ask scientific questions and select appropriate
scientific enquiries to use.
• 6TWSp.04 Plan fair test investigations, identifying the
independent, dependent and control variables.
• 6TWSc.03 Choose equipment to carry out an investigation
and use it appropriately.
• 6TWSc.08 Collect and record observations and/or
measurements in tables and diagrams appropriate to the
type of scientific enquiry.
• 6TSWa.05 Present and interpret results using tables,
bar charts, dot plots, line graphs and scatter graphs.
The purpose of the activities on pages 46 and 47 of the Learner’s Book is to give learners an opportunity
to explore factors that affect the rate of reversible changes that happen when substances change between
solids and liquids. Learners will be able to apply and develop various skills in scientific enquiry through an
exploration of melting and freezing.
The melting point of a solid is the temperature at which it melts. Different materials have different melting
points. The freezing point of a liquid is the temperature at which it freezes. Different materials have
different freezing points. The freezing point of a material is the same temperature as its melting point.
Thermal conductivity (the rate at which thermal energy conducts through a material) depends on the type
of material. Metals are good thermal conductors. Glass, wood and air are bad thermal conductors.
One concept that learners may have difficulty with is understanding that a material can be heated without
its temperature rising. This happens to all materials when the energy that is being provided is used to
change its state rather than increase its temperature. Once the material has changed state, the energy will
be used to change its temperature.

Learners work in pairs. Provide each learner with a sticky note. Ask each learner to secretly write a word or
phrase related to changes in materials on the sticky note and put it on their partner’s forehead or back.
Learners try to guess what is written on the sticky note by taking turns to ask each other questions.

Page 46 Melting and freezing
Activity 1 Use this activity to create cross-curricular links with temperature covered in the Mathematics
curriculum.
a Accept any three: petrol, mercury, linseed oil, castor oil, water and olive oil
Palm oil and coconut oil are solids as their freezing points are above room temperature.
68
b Castor oil, water and olive oil are liquids at room temperature and their freezing points are higher than
the household freezer at –18 °C.
Petrol, mercury and linseed oil, because their freezing points are lower than the temperature of the
household freezer at –18 °C.
Activity 2
a Jed could line the box with a material that is a poor thermal conductor (an insulator). It will not conduct
heat very well and will, therefore, keep the ice colder for longer.
b Learners will need to include a control (such as ice that is left to melt at room temperature) to compare
the ice they try out their ideas on.
c Learners may suggest measuring the dimensions of the ice, its mass, or the volume of the melted water.
d Accept reasonable answers, but ensure that a spirit thermometer or temperature sensor is included.
e Variables that need to be kept the same include the size and shape of the ice, and where the ice is
placed.
Activity 3
a Learners carry out their test.
b Learners identify patterns.
c Check learners’ explanations.
d Conclusions may include the fact that ice melts more slowly when covered in certain materials.
e Learners may explain their results by saying that the insulating material slowed down the rate at which
the heat from the surroundings reached the ice, and less heat resulted in slower melting.
Page 47 More about melting
Activity 1
Refer to what learners have learnt about line graphs in Mathematics.
a Between 0 and 4 minutes, the temperature rose from –20 °C to 0 °C. Between 4 and 6 minutes, the
temperature remained the same, at 0 °C. Between 6 and 10 minutes, the temperature rose from 0 °C to
25 °C. Between 10 and 12 minutes, the temperature remained constant at 25 °C.
b Section 1 (0 to 4 minutes): the ice was solid; Section 2 (4 to 6 minutes): the ice was melting to become
water; Section 3 (6 to 10 minutes): the water was getting warmer; Section 4 (10 to 12 minutes): the
water was at room temperature.
c 25 °C. This has been the temperature since the 10-minute mark, which suggests that it is the temperature
of the room.
d The ice was being heated and changing state from a solid into a liquid, because the temperature
remained constant at 0 °C.
e The ice was being heated until it reached room temperature. It could not get any hotter and remained at
this temperature.
f Agree. It is a common misconception that temperature always has to rise when an object is heated.
However, when changes of state occur, heating takes place with no change in temperature. The energy is
being used at this point to melt or boil the liquid.
Let’s talk
a Learners should be able to predict that the melting points of the materials will be different. They may
justify their prediction from their knowledge of freezing points from page 46 of the Learner’s Book.
b Learners will need to measure the temperature of the materials.
c In Activity 2, learners are asked to draw a line graph of their data, so they will need to collect
temperature data at regular intervals.
d Repeated measurements may be useful to ensure the reliability of results. Because the temperature will
be changing constantly over time, this will mean repeating the entire investigation.
69
Activity 2
a Check that learners have described a test in which they take the solids from the fridge and leave them at
room temperature, collecting temperature data at regular intervals until the solids have reached room
temperature.
b Learners may plot the data for all three materials on the same graph, in which case they will need to use
a different colour for each set of data. Alternatively, they may draw a separate graph for each material,
in which case they will need to ensure the axes of all three graphs use the same scale.
c Learners should compare their prediction with the data they collected. Challenge them to explain how
their evidence does or does not support their predictions.
d Learners may spot that the state of materials affects how quickly they melt. There is an effect, called the
Mpemba effect, that looks at how quickly different objects freeze that learners may find interesting to research.
e–f Ask learners to use their graphs to identify any anomalous results. Can they think of reasons why these
may have occurred? For example, how were they carrying out the data collection at that moment in time?
Were some materials in a state where it was difficult to gather the data accurately? For example, learners
often take the temperature of a liquid with the thermometer resting on the bottom of the container rather
than surrounded by the material. Such factors could help to explain anomalies in the results.
Further activities
• Ask learners to complete Workbook pages 27–30.
• Ask learners to complete Worksheet 2 (boost-learning.com).
Workbook answers
Page 27 Investigate melting 2 a Highest to lowest: B, A, D, C.
1 Refer to what learners have learnt b Example answer: Location B had the highest
about mass in Mathematics. temperature because the ice melted the
16 × fastest at this location.
14 ×
Page 28 Freezing different liquids
×
12
×
× loc
ati a For example: amount of each substance.
× on
Mass of ice (grams)
loc C
× at
b For example: the ketchup will freeze slowest
10 loc ion
×a D
ti
because it is the most viscous/thickest.
×
8 × on c For example: the time each liquid takes to freeze.
lo
A
ca
×
t
d For example: first column ‘Liquid’, second

io
n
6 ×
B
×
column ‘Time to freeze’, third column ‘How it
4 × ×
freezes’.
2 × e For example: vertical axis ‘Time to freeze’,
0 × horizontal axis ‘Liquid’ and title of graph ‘How
0 2 4 6
Time (minutes)
8 the viscosity of a liquid affects how fast it freezes’.
Page 29 Investigate freezing

Check learners’ plans. Ensure that learners have given a clear prediction and drawn a labelled diagram
showing what they plan to do in their investigation. They should say what they will observe or measure
and how they will make sure that these observations or measurements are reliable. Learners should
also identify any potential problems and explain how these could be avoided.
Page 30 Thermal conductivity cartoon
• Show learners one plastic spoon, one metal spoon and two ice cubes.
• Let learners touch the spoons, talk to a partner and predict which ice cube will melt first; the ice cube
on the plastic spoon or the ice cube on the metal spoon. Ask learners to share their reasoning. From
experience, learners should predict that the ice cube on the plastic spoon will melt first because it
feels warmer to the touch.
70
• Place an ice cube on each spoon at the same time and let learners observe what happens. Collect
data by timing how quickly each ice cube melts.
• The metal spoon is a better thermal conductor and conducts thermal energy from the atmosphere
through the spoon into the ice cube faster. The plastic spoon is a poor thermal conductor and, therefore,
does not allow thermal energy to flow into the spoon and helps prevent the ice cube from melting. Air
is also a poor thermal conductor. The reason the metal spoon feels colder is because it conducts the
thermal energy away from your hand; there is less thermal energy so it feels colder. The plastic spoon
feels warmer because it is a bad thermal conductor; more thermal energy remains in your hand.
• Look at learners’ cartoons to check their understanding. This activity is a good way of identifying
alternative concepts that can be discussed with the class.
Worksheet 2 answers
1 a Butter, chocolate, beeswax and sugar
b Olive oil and ice (water)
c Butter, chocolate and beeswax
2 Check that the horizontal axis of the bar chart is labelled ‘Material’ and the vertical axis is labelled
‘Melting point (°C)’.
Success criteria
6Cp.01 Know that the temperature at which Learners can recognise that melting and freezing
a substance changes state is a property of the are reversible changes of a substance.
substance.
6Cp.03 Understand that thermal conductivity is Learners can explain that all materials conduct
a property of a substance. thermal energy and knowing which conduct it
well and which do not can be useful when we
want to prevent an object from melting.
6Cc.01 Identify and describe physical changes Learners can identify and describe physical
that are reversible. changes that are reversible.
6TWSp.01 Ask scientific questions and select Learners can discuss how they will turn their
appropriate scientific enquiries to use. ideas about how the thermal conductivity of
materials can prevent ice melting into a form
that can be tested.
6TWSp.04 Plan fair test investigations, Learners can identify factors that will need to be
identifying the independent, dependent and kept the same to ensure the test is fair.
control variables.
6TWSc.03 Choose equipment to carry out an Learners can choose which equipment to use to
investigation and use it appropriately. test their ideas.
6TWSc.08 Collect and record observations Learners can choose what evidence to collect.
and/or measurements in tables and diagrams
appropriate to the type of scientific enquiry.
6TSWa.05 Present and interpret results using Learners can use one or more line graphs to
tables, bar charts, dot plots, line graphs and present the results of their investigation.
scatter graphs.
71
Focus on evaporation, boiling and condensation

pages 48–51
• 6Cc.03 Describe the difference between boiling and
Visual 16 evaporation.
Visual 17 • 6TWSp.02 Know the features of the five main types of
scientific enquiry.
• 6TWSc.08 Collect and record observations and/or
measurements in tables and diagrams appropriate to the
type of scientific enquiry.
• 6TWSa.03 Make a conclusion from results informed by
scientific understanding.
• 6TWSa.04 Suggest how an investigation could be improved
and explain any proposed changes.
• 6TSWa.05 Present and interpret results using tables,
bar charts, dot plots, line graphs and scatter graphs.
The purpose of the activities on pages 48–51 of the Learner’s Book is to help learners understand that
evaporation and condensation are reversible changes, and how air speed, temperature and surface area
affect evaporation.
Evaporation is the process by which a material changes state from liquid to gas. Evaporation takes place on
the surface of a liquid. It occurs at all temperatures, but you can make a liquid evaporate more quickly by
heating it. If you heat a liquid to a high enough temperature, it will boil. When a liquid boils, evaporation
takes place throughout the liquid, not only on its surface.
Condensation is the reverse of evaporation and is the process by which a material changes state from gas
to liquid. A gas condenses if it is cooled enough. A gas may condense when it comes into contact with a
cold surface.
The rate of evaporation of water is affected by several variables (factors). As the temperature increases,
so does the rate of evaporation. Water evaporates more quickly in dry air (air with little water vapour in
it) than in humid air (air with a lot of water vapour in it). Movement of air affects evaporation speed.
For example, learners may know that washing dries quicker on windy days than on still days. Wind helps
washing dry by replacing humid air around the clothes with dry air.
Evaporation takes place only on the surface of a liquid, so the greater the surface area of a liquid, the more
quickly it evaporates. This means that water evaporates more quickly from a shallow, wide container than
from a tall, narrow container.

Choose about ten Scientific words from pages 42–47 of the Learner’s Book. For example: ‘materials’,
‘matter’, ‘condensation’, ‘evaporation’, ‘freezing’, ‘melting’, ‘reversible’, ‘irreversible’, ‘melting point’ and
‘freezing point’. For half of the list of words, give learners the definition, asking them to write down the
word. For the other half of the list, give learners the word, asking them to write a definition.
72
Page 48 Evaporation, boiling and condensation

Let’s talk
a the air/water vapour in the air
b condensation
c water vapour
d temperature, wind speed and humidity (the amount of water vapour already in the air)
Activity 1
a on the surface of a liquid
b at all temperatures
c Evaporation normally only takes place on the surface of a liquid, but when a liquid is boiling, evaporation
takes place throughout the liquid. Evaporation takes place at all temperatures, but boiling takes place at
a certain temperature.
d A material changes state from gas to liquid.
e It has to be cooled (enough).
Activity 2
Examples of evaporation: laundry drying, wet hair drying, puddles drying up, and sweat evaporating from
the skin.
Examples of condensation: dew, clouds, mist and fog, bathroom mirror steaming up, and water droplets
forming on objects taken from the fridge that are left at room temperature.
Page 49 Evaporation
Activity 1
c Learners should observe that the volume of water in the saucer has gone down.
d The missing water has evaporated into a gas and is now in the air as water vapour (gas).
Let’s talk
Answer: A, D, F
Let’s talk
a Learners should predict that water will evaporate more quickly in a sunny place. They should explain
their thinking using scientific knowledge (such as that evaporation is linked to heating) and/or their
experience of objects drying.
b Learners should suggest a simple test such as the following: Pour the same volume of water into two
identical saucers. Place one in a shady place and one in a sunny place. Observe after a suitable length of
time and compare the volume of water left in each saucer. You may need to trial the activity beforehand
to find out how quickly evaporation will happen. Evaporation will happen very fast in hot countries and so
learners may need to visit the equipment every 30 minutes or so. In cooler countries, it may be every day
or so. There should be less water in the saucer in the sunny place, showing quicker evaporation.
c Airflow affects the rate of evaporation. For a fair test, learners must conduct the test outdoors
OR indoors.
Activity 2
a Help learners carry out the test they planned, making sure that the test is fair by ensuring that all the
necessary variables (factors) are kept the same; for example, volume of water and temperature of water.
b The results of the test should show that water evaporates more quickly in a sunny place.
c Learners should explain whether their prediction was correct or not using their scientific knowledge that
evaporation is linked to heating.
d Activity 1 is a science enquiry that allows learners to make observations over time.
Activity 2 is a science enquiry that allows learners to conduct a comparative and fair test.
73
Page 50 Evaporation, airspeed and temperature

Activity 1 Work safely !
Refer to what learners have learnt about measuring mass in
A circuit breaker should always
Mathematics. The words ‘measure the mass’ are used instead
be used when learners are using
of the word ‘weigh’, because weight is linked to the force of
mains electricity in an activity.
an object (see Unit 5).
Answers:
i The washcloths dry at different speeds. The quicker-drying washcloth is the one facing the fan. Ask
learners to share their explanations for why this happens. Establish that water evaporates more quickly
in dry air than in damp air, and wind helps washing dry more quickly because it replaces the damp air
around the clothes with dry air.
Activity 2
If learners are not sure how to present their results, suggest a bar chart. Bar charts are used to represent
discontinuous data; they include discrete data that can only take on specific values (for example, the type
of washcloth). Refer to what learners have learnt about bar charts in Mathematics. In contrast, line graphs
represent continuous data that can take on any value (for example, the mass of the washcloth). Results
should show that the higher the air temperature, the more quickly water evaporates.
Let’s talk
a Learners should have found that the higher the air temperature, the more quickly water evaporates.
b and c These questions give learners a chance to evaluate the success of their fair test investigation.
d Ask learners if they think they have collected enough data. If not, ask them to suggest what extra data
they need, and how they might collect it.
e Possible answers: Windy and sunny days should be the best because both movement and temperature
increase the rate of evaporation. Still and cold days will be the worst because there is a lack of movement
and temperature. Learners could argue over the order of the other two; accept reasonable points.
Learners could use the data they have collected to justify their chosen order.
f Activity 2 is a science enquiry that allows learners to conduct a comparative and fair test. It is also a
science enquiry that allows learners the chance to gather data and see if they can identify patterns.
Page 51 Evaporation and surface area
Let’s talk
a The wide, shallow container
b The tall, narrow container
c The wide, shallow container because evaporation only takes place from the surface of a liquid and the
water in this container will have the greatest surface area.
Activity 1
Use this activity to create cross-curricular links with the calculation of surface area covered in the
Mathematics curriculum.
c Refer learners to the formula in the Learner’s Book. Ask learners to practise applying the formula by
calculating the surface area of the water in different containers with rectangular cross-sections.
f At the end of the test, learners should find that most water has evaporated from the container of water
that has the greatest surface area.
Challenge yourself!
It feels colder because the liquid on the surface has been heated by the skin and turned into a gas,
removing thermal energy from the skin’s surface and leaving it at a lower temperature.
Further activities
Ask learners to write a short report on the variables (factors) affecting the speed of evaporation.
74
Success criteria
6Cc.03 Describe the difference between boiling Learners can describe evaporation as a liquid
and evaporation. changing state to become a gas.
6TWSp.02 Know the features of the five main Learners can describe the features of the five
types of scientific enquiry. main types of scientific enquiry.
6TWSc.08 Collect and record observations Learners can make predictions about evaporation
and/or measurements in tables and diagrams and collect data appropriately to test their
appropriate to the type of scientific enquiry. predictions.
6TWSa.03 Make a conclusion from results Learners can recognise patterns in data
informed by scientific understanding. and suggest explanations using scientific
knowledge and understanding (for example, that
evaporation takes place only from the surface of
a liquid).
6TWSa.04 Suggest how an investigation could Learners can think about how they would do
be improved and explain any proposed changes. tests differently if they did them again.
6TSWa.05 Present and interpret results using Learners can draw a bar chart to display their
tables, bar charts, dot plots, line graphs and results.
scatter graphs.
Focus on boiling and condensation

pages 52–57
• 6Cc.03 Describe the difference between boiling and
Workbook page 31 evaporation.
• 6TWSp.03 Make predictions, referring to relevant scientific
Unit 4 Slide 2 knowledge and understanding within familiar and
Unit 4 Slide 3 unfamiliar contexts.
Unit 4 Slide 4 • 6TWSp.04 Plan fair test investigations, identifying the
Visual 18 independent, dependent and control variables.
Visual 19 • 6TWSp.05 Describe risks when planning practical work and
Visual 20 consider how to minimise them.
• 6TWSc.05 Take appropriately accurate measurements.
• 6TWSc.06 Carry out practical work safely.
The purpose of the activities on pages 52–57 of the Learner’s Book is to build on previous learning by
continuing to explore variables (factors) that affect the rate of reversible changes between liquids and
gases. Learners will apply various scientific enquiry skills and begin to explore boiling and condensation.
When a liquid is heated to a high enough temperature, it boils. When a liquid boils, it turns to gas not just
on the surface but throughout its volume. The bubbles in a boiling liquid are made of the gas that the liquid
has turned into.
75
Water vapour is invisible. It is the invisible gas formed when water turns from a liquid to a gas. The
condensed water droplets are a cloud of liquid water. Water vapour can also be called steam. A common
misconception is that steam is a visible liquid when it is actually an invisible gas.
The activities on pages 52 and 53 of the Learner’s Book introduce the concept of boiling point and
investigate the boiling point of water. For safety, it is essential that an adult demonstrates them. Ensure
that learners stand well back while observing these activities.
The temperature at which liquid boils is called its boiling point. The boiling point of freshwater (at sea
level) is 100 °C. If a liquid continues to be heated after boiling, the temperature does not rise beyond its
boiling point. The temperature of boiling water does not rise beyond 100 °C. Salt water boils at a higher
temperature than freshwater; the more salt dissolved in the water, the higher the boiling point.
Condensation happens when a gas is cooled enough to turn into a liquid. Typically, this happens when a
gas comes into contact with a cool surface. The greater the difference between the temperature of the
gas and the temperature of the surface it comes into contact with, the greater the rate of condensation.
Distillation is a process in which evaporation is followed by condensation. It can be used for purifying water.
One device that uses the process of distillation in this way is a solar still.
How quickly a liquid condenses is called its rate of condensation. The quicker a liquid condenses, the higher
the rate of condensation. The slower a liquid condenses, the lower the rate of condensation.
Learners will explore one of the principal variables (factors) affecting the rate of condensation: the
difference in temperature between the gas and the surface onto which it condenses. The greater the
temperature difference, the higher the rate of condensation; the smaller the temperature difference, the
lower the rate of condensation.
An everyday device that uses evaporation to change the state of water from a liquid and then condenses it
back into a liquid is a solar still. A solar still distils water with substances dissolved in it by using the heat of
the Sun to evaporate water so that it may be cooled and collected, thereby purifying it. Learners will be able
to set up and purify salt water using a solar still in the classroom.

• Display the Unit 4 Slide 2 (boost-learning.com). This is a short quiz on what learners have learnt so far in
this unit. It will help to consolidate their ideas and give them the opportunity to use the correct scientific
language. You could divide the class into teams.
• Organise learners into pairs or small groups and ask them to write down a minimum of five facts about
boiling. Challenge them to write more if they can. Ask learners to share their facts about boiling with
the class. If learners come up with facts that you have not yet covered in class and/or are incorrect,
encourage discussion by asking: Do you agree? Why? Why not?
• Display the Unit 4 Slide 3 (boost-learning.com).
Unit 4 Slide 2 answers
Quiz
a It has mass/takes up space/has volume.
b Solids and liquids
c Liquids and gases
d Gases
e It is not wet/does not form a puddle/individual sand grains have a fixed shape.
f Increase temperature
g It drops.
h When a liquid changes state to become a gas.
76

It’s a cold day
Example answer: Your breath contains water vapour. When you exhale cold air, some of the invisible water
vapour in your breath condenses (changes into tiny droplets of water). You see this as a tiny ‘cloud’.
This only happens if the surrounding air is cold. This is because the water condenses back to a liquid.
If the air is warmer the water vapour remains as a gas and you do not see it.

Page 52 Boiling
Activity 1
The correct answers are Sabrina (water as a gas), and Alan (water vapour). Some learners may know this and you
can use this activity to identify this prior knowledge, or any alternative conceptions the learners may have.
The Let’s talk activity reinforces the concepts.
Let’s talk
a Heat it.
b Everywhere throughout the entire liquid.
c Water vapour (or steam, both are water in the gas state. A common misconception is that steam is a liquid).
d It takes the water vapour (gas) that is escaping from the kettle a short time to cool down and condense
back into liquid water (water droplets/cloud).
Page 53 Investigate boiling
Activity 1
Learners should know that the boiling point of water is 100 °C. Ask learners if they think it is an accident
that the boiling point of water is 100 °C. Establish that the Celsius scale is intentionally based around the
freezing point of water (0 °C) and the boiling point of water (100 °C).
Activity 2
You will need two pans, two heating elements, two thermometers and oven gloves to protect your hands
from steam. Learners should predict that the temperature of the water in pan A will rise more quickly than
the temperature of the water in pan B. Learners may also predict, incorrectly, that the water in pan A will
eventually rise to a higher temperature than the water in pan B. Do not correct this misconception yet. The
results will demonstrate that the temperature of the water in both pans will not rise higher than 100 °C.
Encourage learners to discuss their predictions with a partner.
Activity 3
The demonstration should show that while the temperature of the water Work safely !
in pan A rises more quickly than the temperature of the water in pan B, the
Take care when working
temperature of the water in both pans reaches the same final temperature
with hot water!
of 100 °C.
a Learners should compare the results of the test to their predictions and,
if they are different, describe how they differ.
b Learners’ diagrams should show the demonstration set-up accurately. Their diagram should include labels
for the pans, the water, the heating elements, the thermometers, the bubbles (of water vapour gas) and the
steam (liquid). A suitable caption might be: ‘How increasing/turning up the heat affects water temperature’.
Activity 4
a The demonstration should show that while the temperature of the water in the smaller pan rises more
quickly than the temperature of the water in larger pan, the temperature of the water in both pans
reaches the same final temperature of 100 °C.
b To maximise the difference between the boiling point of freshwater and the boiling point of salt water,
use salt water with a fairly high salt concentration.
c Learners should compare the results of the tests to their predictions and, if they are different, describe
how they differ.
77
d Encourage learners to use their research skills to find out the answers to their questions. If you have
time, learners could share their findings in a group or with the class, or place questions and answers on
a working wall.
Before starting page 54 of the Learner’s Book display the Unit 4 Slide 4 (boost-learning.com). Encourage
learners to use scientific language to explain the presence of the water on the mirror.

Condensation
When water vapour in the air comes into contact with the mirror, it cools and condenses (turns back into
liquid water).
Page 54 Condensation
Let’s talk
B, E
Activity 1
This activity will remind learners of the process of condensation learnt in Stage 4.
a Learners should observe condensation (water droplets) on the mirror.
b Example answer: The oven glove protects the teacher’s hand from being scalded (injured by hot liquid)
by steam.
Activity 2
Learners should observe droplets of water (condensation) forming on the can that was cooled in the fridge.
Let’s talk
a condensation/water droplets
b the air
c Water vapour in the air came into contact with the cold can and condensed. The cold can is at a lower
temperature than room temperature, so when water vapour in the air comes into contact with the
surface of the can, it condenses back into a liquid.
Page 55 Investigate the rate of condensation
Activity 1
Learners should use their existing knowledge that condensation is linked to cooling to suggest that the
speed of condensation may be increased by reducing temperature.
a–e Check that learners understand and are following instructions correctly.
f Learners should observe tiny droplets of condensation on the inside surface of the base of the top two cups.
g The cup with the ice cube on it will have more condensation inside it than the cup with no ice cube on it.
Let’s talk
a The surface that was cooled by the ice had more water on it.
b The water came from (water vapour in) the air.
c Yes, because the cup that was cooled by the ice cube had more condensation inside it.
Activity 2
Check that learners have created labelled drawings that explain their observations from Activity 1. The
labels should explain the differences between the inside surfaces of the base of the top two cups. Look for
the following words in learners’ labels, in addition to the words and phrases used in the Learner’s Book:
‘more’, ‘less/fewer’, ‘water droplets’, ‘condensation’, ‘cooled/cooling’, ‘ice’, ‘rate of condensation’.
Page 56 Change the rate of condensation
Let’s talk
Learners should predict that one suggestion relating to temperature (either using cooler water in the
shower or heating the mirror) is likely to be the most effective way to slow down the rate at which
condensation forms on the mirror.
Activity 1
Learners devise their own investigations. Check that their plans are safe (heating the mirror should be
done in a way that does not cause the mirror to crack and does not use electricity, as the combination of
78
electricity and water is dangerous). Also check that their planned investigations are fair tests; for example,
they must take into account all the variables (factors) that might affect the result (such as the type and size
of the mirror or the air temperature). Tests will need to be carried out in the same place, either at the same
time or immediately after one another. Check that learners are clear about what they plan to observe as
part of their test before they start.
Page 57 Link evaporation and condensation
Activity 1
Ensure that the solar still is placed in direct sunlight, and that the cling film makes an airtight seal with
the bowl. The speed with which water collects in the cup will depend on various factors, for example air
temperature, humidity, and the size and shape of the bowl.
Activity 2
Example answer:
The heat from the Sun causes water to evaporate from the salt water solution in the bowl. When the water
vapour hits the surface of the cling film, it cools and condenses. This fresh water runs down the surface of
the cling film until it reaches the lowest point, where it drips into the cup.
Let’s talk
Example answer:
A solar still may be useful in survival situations, where fresh water may not be readily available, for example
when travelling in the desert. Some lifeboats have plastic domes to collect evaporated water to give anyone
lost at sea a better chance of surviving until they are rescued.
Further activities
• Ask learners to draw an annotated diagram to show what happened in Activity 1 on page 53 of the
Learner’s Book.
• Ask learners to write a short report on the variables (factors) affecting the speed of evaporation.
• Ask learners to predict how the results of Activity 1 from page 55 of the Learner’s Book might differ if
they were to do it in the following places: in a refrigerated room and in a hothouse.
• Set up a camera on a tripod next to the solar still and take a photograph every five or ten minutes to
show the condensation and collection of water.
• Ask learners to search for photographs of solar stills, comparing their designs to the photographs. They
could also find out the various situations in which solar stills are used.
ICT links
Learners could use video editing software to combine the photographs of the solar still (see Further
activities above) into a time-lapse clip.
Workbook answers
Page 31 Boiling and evaporation
1 a Heat it to its boiling point (to 100 °C)
b Water in its gas state (water vapour)
c Water in liquid form
d 100 °C
e In its pure form it is not possible to heat water above its boiling point.
f If you add salt to water, you will make salt water, which is a different substance and has a boiling
point above 100 °C.
g Yes, evaporation occurs on the surface of a liquid at temperatures above the liquid’s melting point
when it turns into a gas. Boiling happens throughout a liquid and only occurs at a liquid’s boiling
point; this is when the whole liquid turns into a gas.
79
2 Statement True False

All liquids boil at the same temperature. û
When a liquid boils, it turns into a gas. ü
When a liquid evaporates, it turns into a gas. ü
Liquids can only turn into a gas at boiling point. û
Water vapour is a liquid. û
Steam is a gas. û
Success criteria
6Cc.03 Describe the difference between Learners can explain how water turns into water vapour
boiling and evaporation. on heating and water vapour turns back into water on
cooling, and explain the difference between boiling and
evaporation.
6TWSp.03 Make predictions, referring Learners can predict how temperature affects how
to relevant scientific knowledge and quickly water boils and how cooling affects the rate of
understanding within familiar and condensation, and predict the effectiveness of different
unfamiliar contexts. methods of slowing down the rate of condensation.
6TWSp.04 Plan fair test investigations, Learners can use knowledge and understanding to plan
identifying the independent, dependent a fair test investigation into slowing down the rate of
and control variables. condensation and identify variables (factors) that need
to be taken into account to make sure the test is fair.
6TWSp.05 Describe risks when planning Learners can consider the risks when working with hot
practical work and consider how to liquids and come up with ways to minimise them.
minimise them.
6TWSc.05 Take appropriately accurate Learners can collect enough evidence to test their
measurements. predictions.
6TWSc.06 Carry out practical work safely. Learners can carry out practical work with hot liquids
safely.
Focus on dissolving and solubility

pages 58–60
• 6Cc.02 Describe how temperature affects solids dissolving
Workbook page 32 in liquids and relate it to the particle model.
Worksheet 3
• 6TWSm.01 Describe how a model can help us understand
and describe scientific phenomena and ideas.
Worksheet 4
• 6TWSm.02 Use models, including diagrams, to represent
Visual 21 and describe scientific phenomena and ideas.
80
The activities on pages 58 and 59 of the Learner’s Book recap and build on learning about dissolving from
Stage 5.
A solution is a mixture of substances: one or more substances, called the solute(s), dissolved in a larger
amount of another substance, called the solvent. When a solid dissolves in a liquid, the solute cannot be
seen with the naked eye; the solution looks clear. A solid dissolves because the particles of the liquid it
is mixed with collide with the particles of the solid. The solid particles are gradually moved away from
each other until the solid particles are evenly spread through the solvent. The solid particles are still in the
mixture they are just spread out and you cannot see them. If the solid is coloured (if it is, for example,
instant coffee) the solution will usually have the same colour as the coloured solid.
When a solid is mixed with a liquid but does not dissolve in it, it forms a different kind of mixture called a
suspension. A suspension is cloudy; you can see particles of the solid floating in the water (for example,
flour in water). Suspensions can be separated by filtration, but solutions cannot. They can only be separated
by evaporating the liquid, which leaves the solid behind.

Before the lesson, prepare two identical glasses. Fill one with a sugar solution and one with water and a
colourless flavouring (such as peppermint oil). Display the glasses at the front of the class. Ask learners:
What is in the glasses? Ask a volunteer to come up and take a 1 ml measuring spoonful from a glass, taste
it and then describe the taste. Stress the importance of tasting a small amount of liquid. Repeat for the
other glass with a different volunteer. Recap the term ‘dissolve’. Establish that something that has changed
its taste has been dissolved in each glass of water. Ask learners to guess what the ‘something’ might be in
each case.
Page 58 Dissolving
Activity 1
This activity is important as learners may have difficulty conceptualising the dissolving process.
Let’s talk
a Solvent: lentils. Solid: currants, raisins or sultanas
b They have spread throughout the solvent (the lentils).
c The currants, raisins or sultanas have spread throughout the lentils (solvent), making it harder to see them.
d and e Learners should be able to come up with a range of their own ideas.
Page 59 Investigate solubility
Activity 1
You could provide learners with Worksheet 3 (boost-learning.com) to record both their predictions
and their observations.
Example answers:
Soluble materials: instant coffee, sugar, salt, vitamin tablet
Insoluble materials: coffee grounds, powder paint, hot-water laundry powder, flour, tea, cocoa
Activity 2
a–c Give learners time to carry out this activity. It is important that they are confident in understanding
scientific vocabulary, spell words correctly and are able to use them in different contexts.
Challenge yourself!
The key points for learners to understand are:
• In melting, only one substance is involved and the liquid and solid are the same material. Heat is needed
for melting to occur.
• Dissolving involves two materials. The resulting solution is a mixture of both. The dissolved substance is
still present in the solution, even though it cannot be seen.
81
Page 60 Temperature and solubility

Hot water from a tap should be warm enough to provide results. Learners
Learners should take care
can draw on their understanding of the particle theory from Stage 5 to
help them with the prediction and explanation of their results. Provide when handling hot liquids.
learners with Worksheet 4 (boost-learning.com). Use this activity to create
cross-curricular links with comparative adjectives covered in the English and ESL curricula. When learners
are predicting their results, help them to structure it by again using comparative and superlative adjectives.
For example, the warmer the solvent, the quicker the solid dissolves. This is because there are more collisions
between the water particles and the particles in the solid.
Let’s talk
The higher the temperature of the water, the faster the solid dissolves. This is because the water particles are
moving at a faster rate in the liquid, and the particles in the solid are also vibrating faster. This means there are
more collisions between the water and the solid, and due to the solid vibrating faster, it makes it easier for the
water particles to break apart the solid. The solid therefore dissolves quicker in a solvent at a higher temperature.
Did you know?
The room temperature of water will vary depending on the room it has been sitting in. If the room is air-
conditioned, the water will be colder than if there was no air conditioning.
Further activities
• Ask learners to use their research skills to find out how sea salt is produced by evaporating seawater.
• Discuss what a saturated solution is (it is a solution that contains the maximum possible amount of
solute). Ask learners to make a saturated solution of salt or sugar, leave it to evaporate and observe what
is left behind. Are crystals formed? Are there any differences between these crystals and the original
crystals of salt or sugar?
Workbook answers
Page 32 Irreversible changes, product and reactants
1 Irreversible changes: cake baking in oven; concrete being mixed; a fried egg in a pan
2 Reactants Product
bicarbonate of soda, citric acid, olive oil, essential oil, food colouring, dried flower petals bath fizz
oil/butter, corn kernels popcorn
cement, sand, water, limestone concrete
3 Example answers: colour changes; gas given off; temperature changes; odour change; formation of
a precipitate
Success criteria
6Cc.02 Describe how temperature affects solids Learners can recognise that sugar dissolves
dissolving in liquids and relate it to the particle model. more quickly in hotter water and relate this
to the particle model.
6TWSm.01 Describe how a model can help us Learners can evaluate a model used to
understand and describe scientific phenomena and ideas. explain dissolving.
6TWSm.02 Use models, including diagrams, to Learners can use a model to explain the
represent and describe scientific phenomena and ideas. process of dissolving.
82
Focus on irreversible changes and plastic pollution

pages 61–67
• 6Cc.04 Understand that chemical reactions involve
Workbook pages 33–35 substances, called reactants, interacting to form new
substances, called products.
Visual 22 • 6Cc.05 Observe and describe the evidence that a chemical
Unit 4 Flashcards reaction has taken place (limited to a gas being produced,
colour change and change in temperature).
Unit 4 Audio
• 6TWSp.05 Describe risks when planning practical work and
consider how to minimise them.
• 6TWSa.03 Make a conclusion from results informed by
scientific understanding.
• 6SIC.03 Use science to support points when discussing
issues, situations or actions.
• 6SIC.04 Identify people who use science, including
professionally, in their area and describe how they use
science.
• 6SIC.05 Discuss how the use of science and technology can
have positive and negative environmental effects on their
local area.
The purpose of the activities on pages 61–67 of the Learner’s Book is for learners to begin to explore
examples of irreversible changes, to develop and apply various scientific enquiry skills, and to develop an
understanding of science in context by looking at materials chemists.
Scientists refer to irreversible changes as chemical reactions. In a chemical reaction, one or more new
materials are always formed. The new materials are completely different from the original materials. The
substances that react with each other during a chemical reaction are called reactants. The new substances
that are made are called products.
There is a range of ways to identify whether or not a chemical reaction has occurred:
• a gas being produced, such as carbon dioxide when an Alka-Seltzer is added to water
• a colour change, such as toasting bread
• a change in temperature, such as burning wood that gives off thermal energy.
In a chemical reaction, mass is conserved; mass that was there at the start of the reaction is there at the
end of the reaction. This is sometimes difficult to demonstrate as often one of the products is a gas.
Cooking can involve changing materials. Some changes happen when materials are mixed, and some
changes happen when materials are heated. Scientists called materials chemists create new materials
which have properties that will make them a better choice for specific purposes than the existing materials.
Materials chemists rely on irreversible changes (chemical reactions) to create new materials.
Plastics are new materials invented by material chemists. They are useful for different jobs. However, people
use plastic products once and then discard them. This has led to plastic pollution. Scientists are now looking
at ways to help solve the issues caused by plastic pollution.
83

• Revise the term, ‘irreversible change’. Recap the fact that in an irreversible change one or more new
materials are made. Establish that you can recognise an irreversible change because it shows one or
more of the following characteristics: colour change, formation of a gas (such as bubbles), temperature
change, heat and/or light emitted, or smoke given off.
• Show learners a photograph of a meal. Guide learners to analyse the meal in terms of changes in
materials: firstly, work together to list all the ingredients that went into making the meal. Secondly, list all
the changes each ingredient, or group of ingredients, underwent in order to make the meal. Finally, sort
these changes into two groups: reversible changes and irreversible changes.
• Learners could then carry out the same analysis of their favourite meal, or the last meal they ate.
Page 61 Irreversible changes

It is important to use whole milk rather than skimmed milk. The polymer You will need a hot
made in the activity is safe for learners to handle once the milk has cooled. stove for this activity so
Let’s talk learners should work under
a Irreversible. A new material is made. adult supervision or as a
b No, because the change that has taken place is reversible. (The change demonstration.
became irreversible when the vinegar was added to the milk because a
new material was formed at that point. This is when the chemical reaction took place.)
c Reactants: milk, white vinegar. Product: polymer.
Page 62 Investigate temperature change
Activity 1
b The mixture fizzes (lots of bubbles/gas are produced).
c Yes, because a new material (a gas) has been produced.
d No, because a chemical reaction is irreversible.
e Suggestions could include adding more bicarbonate of soda and vinegar, and heating the vinegar
(ensure that this is done under adult supervision).
Page 63 Make bath fizzes
Activity 1
Make sure that any essential oil used is suitable for bath fizzes and is not designed for oil burners or candles.
i Example answer: Potential changes in the shape, mass of the bath fizz. A reversible change is the bath fizz
drying out; you could add oil to return it to its previous mass. Irreversible changes occur when the bath fizz
is added to water. This is because a reaction takes place between the citric acid and bicarbonate of soda
(reactants) that produces bubbles of carbon dioxide gas, sodium citrate (salt) and water (products).
Page 64 Science in context: Scientists who make new materials
Activity 1
Example answers:
Qualifications: degree or equivalent qualification in a science-related subject such as chemistry.
Work: in the aerospace industry, in the armed forces and defence, in automotive manufacturing, and in the
nuclear, oil and gas, pharmaceutical, telecommunications and utilities industries.
Kinds of things they do: CAD technician, design engineer, materials engineer, metallurgist, product/process
development scientist, research scientist (physical sciences), technical sales engineer, biomedical engineer,
geotechnical engineer, higher education lecturer, manufacturing systems engineer, patent examiner,
project manager, quality manager, secondary school teacher.
Help people by: designing materials that improve quality of life, improving technical specifications to make
machines more sustainable and efficient, and so on.
84
Let’s talk
Remind learners that it is the properties of the material that make it suitable for a task. Encourage learners
to use their imagination to suggest several ways in which each material might be used. For example, a
super-sticky material could be used to help people climb up the side of buildings. An extremely light foam
that does not conduct heat could be used for making cooler boxes. A type of concrete that bends could be
used for building structures in an area that is prone to earthquakes.
Activity 2
Example answers:
Spencer Silver:
a a low-tack glue
b while working at the 3M company in 1968
c a grip strong enough to hold papers together, but weak enough to allow the papers to be pulled apart
again without being torn
d sticky notes
Ruth Benerito:
a treatment for cotton
b while working at the US Department of Agriculture in the 1950s
c resists creasing
d makes clothes easy to iron, or they do not need ironing at all
Stephanie Kwolek:
a Kevlar
b while working at DuPont in 1964
c extremely strong
d many, including bullet-proof vests and motorcycle safety clothing
e Explain that one learner should take on the role of the interviewer and the other the scientist.
Page 65 Science in context: Single-use plastics
a Learners should be able to come up with a long list of a variety of different items they use that are made
of plastic.
b Example answers: cling film, plastic spoons, packaging for food, straws, drinks bottles, plastic cups, food cartons,
plastic bags. After they have been used, most items are disposed of, collected, and dumped in a landfill.
c Encourage learners to look back at the work they have done previously to help them come up with ideas
about micro-plastics in the environment, and how they can be harmful to animals and the ecosystem.
d Encourage learners to look at the items they have identified in response to b and to think creatively.
Challenge them to see if they can come up with ideas of what they could do differently in their daily life
to reduce the amount of plastic used and thrown away. For example, instead of using cling film, there are
alternative silicon lids that can be bought, washed and reused many times to cover food.
Page 66 Stop plastic pollution and waste
Activity 1
a Learners research the different methods of reducing, reusing, removing and recycling plastics.
b If you have one available, show learners an example of a mind map so they have an understanding of
how to produce one before they begin work.
Activity 2
Learners should be able to come up with suggestions having researched ideas for Activity 1. Ensuring that
the class gets to vote on their favourite idea and put it into practice is a great way to motivate learners into
life-long sustainable practices.
Challenge yourself!
Microplastics originate from different sources, including artificial clothes fibres, friction between lids and
plastic bottles, microbeads found in some toothpastes, or bigger pieces of plastic that gradually break into
smaller pieces over time when they are disposed of and exposed to the elements.
Further activities
• Ask learners to complete Workbook pages 33 and 34.
• Ask learners to create a classroom display about reversible and irreversible changes in materials.
85
• Ask learners to ask a question about the bath fizzes that they made and then answer the question by
carrying out an investigation. For example: Does the temperature of the water affect the speed at which
bath fizzes dissolve?
• Ask learners to choose a manufacturing material and use their research skills to find out when and how it
was invented, its properties and applications.
• Ask groups or pairs of learners to create their own quiz about changes in materials and give the quiz
questions to another pair or group to answer.
• Ask learners to prepare a presentation explaining some of the things they have learnt in this unit to
learners in another class.
ICT links
Learners could make their quiz about changes in materials interactive, using an online quiz-making tool or a
quiz-making app on a mobile device.
Workbook answers 1
i
Page 33 Material changes crossword 2
r e v e r s i b l e
r
3 4
e e p
5
b v v o
6
c o n d e n s a t i o n
i r p n
l s o t
i r
7
b m a t t e r
l t
8
f r e e z i n g
o
Page 34 Changes during cooking 9
m e l t i n g
1 Example answers:
What causes the Is the How do you know
change (heating, change if the change
Change
mixing, both, or reversible or is reversible or
something else)? irreversible? irreversible?
a freezing orange juice something else reversible freezing can be reversed by
to make ice lollies (cooling) heating, which causes melting
b toasting heating irreversible change of colour and texture
marshmallows
c frying an egg heating irreversible change of colour and texture
d melting cheese heating reversible melting can be reversed by cooling
(cheese will harden when it cools)
e baking biscuits both (mixing and irreversible change of colour and texture
heating)
86
What causes the Is the How do you know

change (heating, change if the change
Change
mixing, both, or reversible or is reversible or
something else)? irreversible? irreversible?
f browning onions heating irreversible change of colour
g putting butter in the something else reversible butter will get soft again if it is
refrigerator to firm (cooling) removed from the fridge
up
h cooking corn kernels heating irreversible change of colour and texture
so they burst to make
popcorn
Success criteria
6Cc.04 Understand that chemical reactions Learners can recognise and name an irreversible
involve substances, called reactants, interacting change.
to form new substances, called products.
6Cc.05 Observe and describe the evidence that Learners can describe different observations to
a chemical reaction has taken place (limited to a indicate that a chemical change has taken place.
gas being produced, colour change and change
in temperature).
6TWSp.05 Describe risks when planning practical Learners can work safely when making a milk
work and consider how to minimise them. polymer.
6TWSa.03 Make a conclusion from results Learners can use results to draw conclusions and
informed by scientific understanding. to make further predictions.
6SIC.03 Use science to support points when Learners can use ideas from science to support
discussing issues, situations or actions. the need to reduce the use of single-use plastics.
6SIC.04 Identify people who use science, Learners can talk about material scientists and
including professionally, in their area and the work they do.
describe how they use science.
6SIC.05 Discuss how the use of science and Learners can use ideas from scientists to support
technology can have positive and negative their local community in minimising plastic
environmental effects on their local area. pollution.
87
Assessment ideas
• Ask learners to complete Activity 1 on page 67 of the Learner’s Book. Although learners may have
explored reversible changes in early stages of the Cambridge Primary Science curriculum framework,
much of the content relating to reversible changes may be new to them. Encourage learners to
explain why they find the aspect they identified interesting.
• Ask learners to complete Activity 2 on page 67 of the Learner’s Book.
Answers:
a ice lollies freezing: reversible
b concrete setting: irreversible
c a loaf of bread baking; irreversible
d chocolate melting: reversible
e fruit rotting: irreversible
f wood burning: irreversible
• Ask learners to complete Activity 3 on page 67 of the Learner’s Book. Learners could work
individually or in pairs. As the activity is intended as an assessment, ask learners to complete the
mind map purely from memory without looking at the page of the Learner’s Book or through their
own work from the unit.
• Use the Flashcards and Audio recordings (boost-learning.com) to assess that learners know and
understand the new words and concepts covered in this unit.
• Ask learners to self-assess using the checklist on page 67 of the Learner’s Book, as well as the self-
check table on Workbook page 35.
88

Reversible and Irreversible Changes

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Reversible and Irreversible Changes

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Unit 4 Reversible and irreversible changes

Review of prior learning

Learning objectives from Stages 1–5 LB pages WB pages TG pages

Learning objectives overview

Thinking and Working Scientifically LB pages WB pages TG pages

Carrying out scientific enquiry

Science in Context LB pages WB pages TG pages

Cross-curricular links LB pages WB pages TG pages

Focus on materials and reversible and irreversible changes

Starter activity suggestions

Activity notes and answers

Page 43 Changing materials

Unit 4 Slide 1 answers Workbook answers

Focus on melting and freezing

Starter activity suggestions

Activity notes and answers

d For example: first column ‘Liquid’, second

Page 29 Investigate freezing

Focus on evaporation, boiling and condensation

Starter activity suggestions

Activity notes and answers

Page 48 Evaporation, boiling and condensation

Page 50 Evaporation, airspeed and temperature

Focus on boiling and condensation

Starter activity suggestions

Unit 4 Slide 3 answers

Activity notes and answers

Unit 4 Slide 4 answers

2 Statement True False

Focus on dissolving and solubility

Starter activity suggestions

Activity notes and answers

Page 60 Temperature and solubility

Focus on irreversible changes and plastic pollution

Starter activity suggestions

Activity notes and answers

Page 61 Irreversible changes

What causes the Is the How do you know

You might also like