On this page: States of Matter | Density | Law of Conservation of Mass | Experiments
states of matter
📖 What Is the World Made Of? by Kathleen Zoehfeld. This Level 2 Let's-Read-and-Find-Out title provides a basic introduction to states of matter—solids, liquids, and gases. – Preschool • Elementary
▶️ Solid, liquid, gas and…plasma? from TED-Ed. "Have you ever seen static electricity cause a spark of light? What is that spark? What about lightning, the Northern Lights, or the tail of a comet? All of those things and many others—in fact, 99.9% of the universe—are made of plasma. Michael Murillo gives the full picture on plasma." – All
▶️ Is fire a solid, a liquid, or a gas? from TED-Ed. “Sitting around a campfire, you can feel its heat, smell the woody smoke, and hear it crackle. If you get too close, it burns your eyes and stings your nostrils. You could stare at the bright flames forever as they twist and flicker in endless incarnations … But what exactly are you looking at? Elizabeth Cox illuminates the science behind fire.” – All
✏️ States of matter from PhET. Explore states of matter and phase changes in this interactive simulation: “Heat, cool, and compress atoms and molecules, then watch as they change between solid, liquid and gas phases.” – All
density
✏️ Density from PhET. “Why do objects like wood float in water? Does it depend on size? Create a custom object to explore the effects of mass and volume on density. Can you discover the relationship? Use the scale to measure the mass of an object, then hold the object under water to measure its volume. Can you identify all the mystery objects?” – All
✏️ Buoyancy from PhET. “When will objects float and when will they sink? Learn how buoyancy works with blocks. Arrows show the applied forces, and you can modify the properties of the blocks and the fluid.” – Middle • High
law of conservation of mass
▶️ Law of conservation of mass from TED-Ed. “Everything in our universe has mass—from the smallest atom to the largest star. But the amount of mass has remained constant throughout existence even during the birth and death of stars, planets and you. How can the universe grow while maintaining its mass? Todd Ramsey answers that question by unravelling the law of conservation of mass.” – Middle • High
experiments
🖐️ Explore Properties of Matter. Crystal Chatterton’s excellent Awesome Science Experiments for Kids has a bunch of experiments that illuminate some basic properties of Matter. Freezing Point Depression: What happens when salt is added to ice? To find out, try “Ice Cream in a Bag,” “Icy Art,” and “Fishing for Ice.” Density: Explore density with “Sink or Float” and “Fruit Boats.” Nucleation: Observe nucleation in action with “Soda Geyser Eruption” and “Dancing Raisins.” Polymers: Investigate the special properties of polymers with “Unleakable Baggie.” Conservation of Mass: For a tasty demonstration of the Law of Conservation of Mass, check out “Popcorn Math.” – Elementary
🖐️ Explore Properties of Matter. Van Cleave’s Chemistry for Every Kid has two units that cover Matter: Unit 1 explores some basic chemical principles, including density, while Unit 5 focuses on states of matter and phase change. – Elementary
🖐️ Find Online Experiments with Properties of Matter. Steve Spangler Science also has a number of unique experiments that reveal properties of Matter. Density: Observe the density difference between ice and water in Light Ice, Heavy Water. Use noodles to learn about density in Dancing Spaghetti. Create a colorful rainbow of liquids in a straw with Liquid Layers. Finally, stack seven liquids of different densities in Seven Layer Density Column. Polymers: Check out Bubble Gum Science for a lesson in food polymers and create tiny chip bags with the Shrinking Chip Bag project.– All
