Changes in Matter: SC.5.P.9.1

On a sunny day, Elena is cutting branches from a tree in her yard. At midday, she takes a break, leaving a pile of branches and leaves on the ground. When she returns and gathers the branches, she notices the leaves are wilted and crisp.
Which of the following correctly describes what happened to the leaves?

• The trees had not received water for a long time before being cut.
• The warm temperature caused moisture to evaporate from the leaves
• The nutrients cannot reach the leaves if the tree's branches are not upright
• The leaves had been covered in frost the week before, but had not wilted until now

Imagine that you fill a bucket to the top with water and then place the bucket outside in freezing weather.
Which of the following describes what will happen when the water in the bucket freezes?

• Iron turns to rust when it is exposed to oxygen
• When water boils, it turns into vapor, which is a gas
• Oxygen can become liquid at a very low temperature
• Gold can be spread out very thin to cover a large area

Which of the following describes an example of a material undergoing a chemical change to become another material with different characteristics?

• Iron turns to rust when it is exposed to oxygen
• When water boils, it turns into vapor, which is a gas
• Oxygen can become liquid at a very low temperature
• A.  Gold can be spread out very thin to cover a large area

Which answer describes a way that a liquid can be turned into a gas?

• Apply enough heat to cause evaporation
• Apply freezing temperatures to cause condensation
• Lower the temperature of the container to allow vaporization
• Maintain a constant temperature over a long enough time to cause freezing

Nadal is helping prepare a large meal for a family gathering. After cooking for several hours, he notices the windows inside the kitchen are covered in moisture.
Which answer best explains how this happened?

• Evaporated moisture is condensing on the windows
• Heating up the house will make moisture evaporate from the windows
• It is raining outside and hot and dry inside, so water condenses inside the windows.
• Having many people in a house causes water to form condensation on the windows

Mayra leaves a basket of flowers she has just picked outside in the hot sun for several hours.
What will Mayra find in her basket when she returns?

• The flowers will be wilted and possibly brown.
• The flowers will have dropped off of their stems.
• Because they were just picked, the flowers will not have changed.
• Because they still have living cells, the flowers will not have changed

Miguel is learning to cook. Following a recipe, he combines meat, vegetables, herbs and spices, and water in a pan and heats them until the mixture is hot and simmering.
Which of the following will happen as the mixture simmers?

• The heat will cause some of the water to turn to vapor
• The heat will cause some of the water to form a solid in the pan
• The vegetables will turn to liquid form when combined with heat.
• The herbs and spices will keep the water from boiling in the pan

Which of the following best explains what will happen if you fill a container to the top with liquid and then tightly secure the lid and place it in a freezer?

• As it freezes, the liquid will maintain its shape and volume as it slowly turns into a solid
• As it freezes, the liquid will take up more space and push out on the container until it bursts.
• As it freezes, part of the liquid will become gas, which will push out on the container until it bursts
• As it freezes, the liquid will take up less space because it will be a mixture of solid, liquid, and gas

Iron becomes rust when it reacts with oxygen. Which of the following is another example of a material undergoing a chemical change to become another material with different characteristics?

• melting ice
• burning wood
• freezing water
• shattering glass

1)  A compost pile is made up of vegetable scraps, grass clippings, and other yard waste. With the help of bacteria that break down matter, the plant material slowly becomes smaller particles that help the soil.  
What would slow down this process of breaking down the plant material in a compost pile?

• lowering the surrounding temperature
• compacting the material into a smaller space
• turning the pile over to introduce more oxygen
• introducing worms or other creatures to the pile