Classroom Resources: States of Matter
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1 – 25 of 92 Classroom Resources
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Phase Changes, Boiling Point, Melting Point, Physical Properties, Freezing Point, Molecular Motion, Physical Change, Density, Heat, Temperature | Elementary School, Middle School
Lesson Plan: Investigating Water's States of Matter Mark as Favorite (1 Favorite)
In this lesson, students will identify properties of different states of matter and then work in groups to model the molecular arrangement in water as a solid, liquid, and gas. This lesson will also help students understand that the change in state is a physical change and how the solid state of water has unique properties.
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Intermolecular Forces, Molecular Motion, Physical Properties, Density | High School
Activity: Molecular Structure in Glacier Formation Mark as Favorite (0 Favorites)
In this activity, students will model the compression of ice as a glacier forms. Students will make connections between density, distance between molecules, and the life of the glacier.
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Freezing Point, Solubility, Solute & Solvent, Phase Changes, Freezing Point Depression, Physical Change, Physical Properties | Elementary School, Middle School
Lesson Plan: Salting Roads in Winter Mark as Favorite (3 Favorites)
In this lesson, students investigate how the freezing point of water changes when salt is added. Many students know that water freezes at 0°C, and many believe that all substances freeze at 0°C. The investigations in this lesson help students understand why salt is spread on roads in cold and snowy conditions.
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Freezing Point, Phase Changes, Mixtures | Elementary School
Lab: Coffee Creamer Ice Cream Mark as Favorite (13 Favorites)
In this lab, students will investigate how dissolving salt (sodium chloride) in water changes the freezing point of the solution. While investigating this, they will make ice cream from small coffee creamer cups.
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Physical Properties, Covalent Bonding, Electronegativity, Polarity, Molecular Geometry, Intermolecular Forces, Solubility | Middle School, High School
Activity: The Chemistry of Water Video Questions Mark as Favorite (48 Favorites)
In this activity, students will watch a video and answer questions about how the molecular geometry and polarity of water give rise to many of its unusual physical properties, including its relatively high boiling point and its ability to dissolve some substances but not others.
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Phase Changes | Middle School
Activity: Alphabet Review: States of Matter and Phase Changes Mark as Favorite (1 Favorite)
In this activity, students will play a game that tasks them with recalling and reviewing information that they have learned about states of matter.
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Heat, Specific Heat, Phase Changes | Elementary School, Middle School
Lab: The Insulation Investigation Mark as Favorite (5 Favorites)
In this lab, students will think critically about the properties, structure and function of materials as they design and build a device used to insulate an ice cube to prevent it from melting.
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Entropy, Kinetic Molecular Theory, Molecular Motion, Intermolecular Forces, Density, Volume | High School
Activity: Connecting States to Entropy Mark as Favorite (14 Favorites)
In this activity, students use blocks to model different states of matter and the Kinetic Molecular Theory to understand the concept of entropy. This is a concept mandated by SAT level or AP level high school chemistry class.
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Exothermic & Endothermic, Physical Change, Temperature, Freezing Point, Boiling Point | High School, Middle School
Demonstration: Energy Mark as Favorite (10 Favorites)
In this demonstration, students will observe the exothermic and endothermic properties of state changes of substances with different freezing and boiling points.
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Isomers, Intermolecular Forces, Molecular Geometry, Molecular Structure, Intermolecular Forces, Boiling Point, Melting Point, Phase Changes, Isomers, Molecular Structure , Distillation, Separating Mixtures, Physical Properties | High School
Lesson Plan: Structural Isomers Mark as Favorite (17 Favorites)
In this activity, students will use models to explore structural isomers, and create explanations for the impact of structure on intermolecular forces (London dispersion) and physical properties (boiling point).
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Intermolecular Forces, Mixtures, Intermolecular Forces, Colligative Properties, Freezing Point Depression, Solubility, Polarity, Phase Changes, Freezing Point, Density, Mixtures, Physical Properties | High School
Lesson Plan: Fuel Line Antifreeze Mark as Favorite (14 Favorites)
In this lesson students will explore the role of a gasoline additive, fuel line antifreeze (generally methanol or 2‑propanol), in reducing the potential of water to block fuel lines in freezing weather. Students will prepare test tube models of water-contaminated fuel tanks and explore the effect of adding different types of fuel line antifreeze. This lesson can be used to bolster concepts about miscibility, density, intermolecular forces, phase changes (freezing), and colligative properties (freezing point depression).
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Distillation, Intermolecular Forces, Separating Mixtures, Observations, Physical Properties, Polarity, Cracking, Intermolecular Forces, Boiling Point, Balancing Equations | High School
Lesson Plan: Fractional Distillation of Crude Oil Mark as Favorite (26 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will be introduced to simple distillation while expanding their knowledge of intermolecular forces. Once a simple distillation has been accomplished in the lab, students will then research the various products of fractional distillation of crude oil and report on one of those products.
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Intermolecular Forces, Solubility, Intermolecular Forces, Intramolecular Forces, Polarity, Lewis Structures, Molecular Structure, Solute & Solvent, Mixtures, Melting Point, Freezing Point, Boiling Point, Physical Properties, Graphing, Mixtures | High School
Lab: Physical Properties (High School) Mark as Favorite (29 Favorites)
In this lesson, students investigate how intermolecular forces effect physical properties by investigating substances’ melting points as well as solubility.
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Intermolecular Forces, Intermolecular Forces, Polarity, Molecular Motion, Molecular Motion, Physical Properties | High School
Activity: Simulation Activity: Comparing Attractive Forces Mark as Favorite (119 Favorites)
In this activity, students will use a simulation to investigate different types of intermolecular forces (London dispersion, induced dipole, and hydrogen bonding). In the analysis that follows the activity, they will relate IMFs (also including dipole-dipole) to physical properties (boiling point, solubility, and vapor pressure). This activity and simulation are appropriate for students in any level chemistry course.
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Ionic Bonding, Naming Compounds, Molecular Formula, Ions, Ionic Radius, Solubility, Melting Point, Physical Properties | High School
Activity: Ionic Bonding Brackets Mark as Favorite (62 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will demonstrate their knowledge of ionic bond strength and its relationship to the properties of melting point and solubility using a “brackets” activity. After analyzing the ionic charge and radius to predict the strongest and weakest bond between four pairs of ionic substances, they will then determine which will be the least soluble.
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Chemistry Basics, Identifying an Unknown, Solutions, Solubility, Melting Point, Phase Changes, Acids & Bases, pH, Strong vs Weak, Observations, Molecular Motion | High School
Activity: Simulation Activity: Identifying Unknowns with Safety Data Sheets Mark as Favorite (17 Favorites)
In this activity, students will use a simulation to learn about some of the sections of a safety data sheet (SDS) and how the information on SDSs can be used not only for safety purposes but also for identifying unknowns. Specifically, students will use “Section 9: Physical and Chemical Properties” to distinguish between two or three substances with similar appearances in a variety of lab-based scenarios. Particle diagrams are also included to help students visualize the substances’ behavior on a particulate level.
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Chemistry Basics, Identifying an Unknown, Solutions, Solubility, Melting Point, Phase Changes | High School
Simulation: Safety Data Sheets Mark as Favorite (11 Favorites)
Students learn about sections of a safety data sheet (SDS) and how the information can be used for safety purposes and for identifying unknowns. They will use the Physical and Chemical Properties section and particle diagrams to distinguish between substances with similar appearances in a variety of lab-based scenarios.
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Saturated vs. Unsaturated, Molecular Structure , Molecular Structure, Covalent Bonding, Lewis Structures, Interdisciplinary, Dimensional Analysis, Intermolecular Forces, Melting Point | High School
Lesson Plan: Dietary Fats Mark as Favorite (11 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will learn about the chemistry of dietary fats in the food they eat. They will calculate the number of calories coming from fats, carbohydrates, and proteins based on a food label before completing a guided activity focused on investigating the chemical structures of different types of fats. Students will then engage in a literacy component where they will use an article about the biological role of various types of dietary fats and foods to answer a series of questions.
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Polymers, Chemical Change, Conservation of Matter, Phase Changes | Elementary School
Lesson Plan: Making Slime Mark as Favorite (3 Favorites)
In this lesson, students explore the science behind chemical reactions as well as the processes used by chemical engineering principles to develop new materials. The idea that mixing two substances can result in an explosion, the release of gas, and the formation of an entirely new substance is both fascinating and mysterious to most young students.
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Freezing Point, Density, Phase Changes, Melting Point, Molecular Motion, Physical Change, Physical Properties | Elementary School
Lesson Plan: Pothole Science Mark as Favorite (3 Favorites)
In this lesson, students investigate how the density and therefore the volume, of water changes when it freezes.
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Introduction, Lab Safety, Chemical Properties, Physical Properties, Chemical Change, Physical Change, History, Separating Mixtures, Elements, Mixtures, Density, Measurements, SI Units, Significant Figures, Dimensional Analysis, Scientific Notation, Accuracy, Molecular Motion, Phase Changes | High School
Lesson Plan: The Chemistry Basics and Measurement Quick Start Unit Plan Mark as Favorite (63 Favorites)
This Quick Start Unit Plan includes all the materials that a teacher will need for the first 10 class meetings of the school year. Each day is outlined with teacher notes, and includes slide presentations as well as directions for demonstrations, activities and labs to use. The fundamental topics covered in the 10 days of lessons are: laboratory safety, laboratory equipment, experimental design, classification of matter, chemical properties, physical properties, chemical change, physical change, phase changes, separation techniques, dimensional analysis, unit conversions, factor label method, accuracy, precision, significant figures, and percent error calculations. This Quick Start Unit plan aims to help students to build a foundation of understanding, and master important topics before moving deeper into the chemistry curriculum.
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Phase Changes, Melting Point, Heat | Elementary School
Lesson Plan: Chocolate Changes Mark as Favorite (1 Favorite)
In this lesson, students will review what they know about the three states of matter (solid, liquid, and gas). They will perform a word sort about states of matter and discuss how substances can exist in more than one state of matter. Following this they will contribute to a KWL (Know, Want to know, Learned) chart. The teacher will conclude the lesson with a demonstration using chocolate.
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Phase Changes, Physical Change, Melting Point, Introduction, Observations | Elementary School
Lesson Plan: Let's Get Physical About Water Mark as Favorite (0 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will learn about the phase changes of matter. During the course of two days students will perform several short experiments in order to change the state of water and they will record their observations.
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Solubility, Solute & Solvent, Molecular Motion, Phase Changes, Reaction Rate | Elementary School
Lesson Plan: Particles in Motion Mark as Favorite (1 Favorite)
In this lesson, students learn that particles that make up matter are in constant motion.
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Heat, Law of Conservation of Energy, Specific Heat, Temperature, Calorimetry, Phase Changes, Boiling Point, Melting Point, Heating Curve, Intermolecular Forces, Molecular Motion, Phase Diagram | High School
Lesson Plan: Phase Changes and Heat Transfer Unit Plan Mark as Favorite (25 Favorites)
The AACT high school classroom resource library and multimedia collection has everything you need to put together a unit plan for your classroom: lessons, activities, labs, projects, videos, simulations, and animations. We constructed a unit plan using AACT resources that is designed to teach the Phase Changes and Heat Transfer to your students.