Outcomes

Pupils should understand how states of matter can be classified in terms of their characteristics e.g. compressibility, ease of flow, maintenance of shape and volume.

Specification References

5.7 Recall that particles in a liquid have a random motion within a close-packed structure.
5.8 Recall that particles in a solid vibrate about fixed positions within a close-packed regular structure.

Pupils could test materials to come up with a list of the characteristics of the 3 states as shown below
Use kinetic theory model and change between states

Could act out the molecular arrangement of a solid, liquid and gas (see additional notes)

Questions sheet
Research the 4th state of matter – Plasma
Find out what the hardest solid known to man is. Extension- Explain what makes this substance so strong with reference to the molecular arrangement
How the properties of liquids allow them to be used in simple hydraulic systems.

Kinetic Theory model
Circus of Solids, liquid and gases
1) Liquids (such as: milk, water, oil, honey)
2) Solids (such as: a block, a ball, a sponge, a feather, a brick and a duck)
3) Gases (such as: balloons filled with air and balloons with helium, a garbage bag with dry ice, blocked syringe with air, a flask with a small amount of vinegar and baking soda with balloon over mouth.

www.ilpi.com/msds/ref/gifs/statesofmatter.gif (image of the three states of matter)
www.harcourtschool.com/activity/states_of_matter/

Let the students represent particles of matter. Sitting in their chairs, the students represent the orderly arrangement of particles in a solid. An increase in the temperature of a solid will increase the vibrations of the particles and thus their kinetic energy. As energy is added at the melting point, only the potential energy of the particles is increased such that they will break loose from their fixed positions and become more disorganized. Use the students to illustrate this. In the liquid state energy added increases the kinetic energy. The particles are free to slip and slide over one another and they will move back and forth at a faster rate. You can go onto representing a gas.