States of Matter

States of Matter

Properties of Matter

One property that you might use to describe an object is its state of matter. Most of the matter around you is a solid, liquid, or gas.

Multiple Select

What are the three states of matter?

• Solid

• Pretzel

• Phone

• Liquid

• Gas

Solids

Ice, rocks, and the fabric of your shirt are all solids. They have definite shapes and volumes.

Open Ended

Name at least 3 solids in the room with you now.

Liquids

Water that flows out of the sink and olive oil are both liquids. They take the shape of their container, but they have a definite volume.

Open Ended

List 3 liquids in the room with you right now.

Gasses

Helium and air are gases. They take the shape and volume of their containers. 

Open Ended

List three gasses in the room with you right now.

State of Change

The state of a substance can change. For example, liquid water freezes into ice and boils into water vapor. Certain properties of the water change, but other properties stay the same in any state. Changing the state of a substance does not change its identity.  Ice is H2O, water is H2O, and water vapor is H2O.

Physical Properties of Matter

Matter has many properties that you can observe and measure. Some properties, such as mass and volume, depend on the amount of a material. Other properties, such as density, are the same for any amount of a material. Liquid water in a glass has the same density as a drop of water on the side of the glass. Density is a characteristic property that depends on the material. It can be used to help you identify a material. 

Poll

Does melted gold have the same density as solid gold?

• yes

• no

Physical Properties

• Mass, volume, density, and state are physical properties.

• A physical property is a property that can be observed without changing the identity of the substance.

• You can describe some physical properties just by looking at an object, including shape, color, and size. You can describe the texture by feeling an object.

• Some physical properties are also characteristic to a material. For instance, pieces of pure copper can all have different masses, but they will all melt at the same temperature. 

Open Ended

Describe at least 3 physical properties of an object in your room. Remember to use only physical properties.