PHYSICS

S TAT E S O F M AT T E R
 STATES OF MATTER
The most common states of matter are:
a) Gases: The atoms and molecules move freely and spread
out from one another. Gases have no definitive volumen or
shape.
b) Liquids: The atoms an molecules are linkedin a way that is
not right. They move around but stay close together.
Liquids have a definitive volumen but can change shape by
flowing.
c) Solids: The atoms and molecules are connected to each
other and don´t move around. Solids have a definitive
volumen and shape.
There is another state of matter called “plasma”. It is like a
gas, but plasma has different properties form those of an
oridinary gas. Plasma occurs naturally in flames, lightning,
and auroras.
 COLORFUL MELBING ICE BALLOON
PATTERNS
You will need:

• balloons • water • freezer • oven mitt • small plates •

cup • table salt • water dropper or siringe • liquid food
coloring • towel • flashlight
 Part 1.
A day before the activity, fill two balloons with water. Tie the
balloons with a knot, and put them in the freezer.
Part 2.
Put on oven mitts to take the two frozen water balloons from the
freezer. Peel off the balloons until you get two ice balls. Put each
ice balloon on a small plate and put them next to each other.
Part 3.
Sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon of salt on the top of each ice ball, add a
few drops of liquid food coloring to make slightly wet the salt.
What happens?
 Part 4.
Drip more colored water over the top of the ice balloon on the left. Leave
the other balloon untouched.
Part 5.
Wait for some minutes and drip water over the ice balloon the left Leave
the other balloon untouched Does one balloon melt faster than the other?
Part 6
Sprinkle more salt on top of both ice balls, followed by a few drops of
colored water to wet the salt. What happens when you add more salt? Can
you see patterns appear in the ice? Are the patterns on the two ice balls
similar?
Part 7.
Add liquid food coloring, salt, and water. Hold a flashlight behind your
melting ice balloons and see how the patterns light up.
 THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE COLORFUL MELTING ICE BALLOON PATTERNS

Matter is made of small particles, and temperature

is a measure of how much these particles move
When ice is surrounded by liquid or air at room
temperature, it absorbs heat so the small particles
in the ice start to vibrate more. The particles at the
edge spread apart and flow over and alongside
each other and the ice. In this phase, water and
ice coexist.
This is an active process: some particles spread apart while other
adhere to the solid. Since the surroundings are at a higher
temperature, more particles spread apart than reattach, so the ice
melts.
When the table salt (sodium chloride) dissolves in water, sodium
and chlorine particles add to the water particles. These make
water particle to arrange themselves in a regular pattern and
solidify into ice.
When pure ice is surrounded by a saltwater solution at room
temperature, particles at the edge of the ice will absorb heat and
start to move more. Some might spread apart and flow freely and
some water particles might try to reattach, but with the sodium
and chlorine particles in the way, it is difficult for the water
particles to reattach to the ice.
In conclusion, ice in contact with room
temperature saltwater melts faster compared to
ice in contact with room temperature water or
air.
 REFLECTION TIME
1.- What happened when you sprinkled salt on the ice balloon?
It got melt faster than normal
2.- Which ice balloon melted faster? Why?
The second since it contained salt that melts the ice faster
3.- What happened when you added more salt?
The melting process accelated
4.- Were the patterns in the two ice balloons similar or different? Why?
Different because the salt affected the ice