Investigation Lab: Matter Experiments
Learn
Scientists learn about the world by doing experiments. An experiment is a test we do to find answers to our questions. In this lesson, you will become a scientist and investigate the three states of matter!
What Do Scientists Do?
- Ask questions: "What happens when ice gets warm?"
- Make predictions: "I think the ice will melt and become water."
- Test their ideas: Do the experiment and watch carefully.
- Record what they see: Write down or draw what happens.
- Share their findings: Tell others what they learned.
Safety Rules for Science Experiments
- Always ask an adult to help you.
- Never taste anything unless an adult says it is safe.
- Clean up your workspace when you are done.
- Wash your hands after experiments.
Experiment 1: Ice Cube Observation
Question: What happens to an ice cube when it sits at room temperature?
Materials: 1 ice cube, a plate, a timer or clock
Steps:
- Place the ice cube on the plate.
- Predict: How long will it take to melt? Write your guess.
- Check the ice cube every 5 minutes.
- Draw what you see each time.
- Record when the ice cube is completely melted.
What you learn: Heat from the room changes solid ice into liquid water. This is called melting.
Experiment 2: Balloon and Air
Question: Is air (a gas) really inside a balloon?
Materials: 1 balloon, your hands
Steps:
- Feel the empty balloon. Is it flat or puffy?
- Blow air into the balloon and hold the end closed.
- Gently squeeze the balloon. What do you feel?
- Let the air out slowly. What do you hear and feel?
What you learn: Air is a gas. Even though we cannot see it, we can feel it push back when we squeeze the balloon!
Experiment 3: Water in Different Containers
Question: Does water change shape?
Materials: Water, 3 different containers (cup, bowl, jar)
Steps:
- Pour water into the cup. Draw the shape of the water.
- Pour the same water into the bowl. Draw the new shape.
- Pour it into the jar. Draw the shape again.
- Compare your drawings.
What you learn: Liquids take the shape of their container. The water is still the same amount, but it looks different in each container!
Examples
Example 1: Reading an Experiment
Maya did an experiment. She put a wet towel outside on a sunny day. After 2 hours, the towel was dry. What happened to the water?
Answer: The water evaporated! The heat from the sun changed the liquid water into water vapor (a gas) that went into the air.
Example 2: Making a Prediction
Jamal wants to know if ice melts faster in a warm room or a cold room. What should he predict?
Answer: Jamal should predict that ice melts faster in a warm room because heat makes solids melt into liquids.
Example 3: Identifying What Changed
Lily had a cup of juice. She put it in the freezer overnight. In the morning, the juice was hard. What state of matter is the juice now?
Answer: The juice is now a solid. The cold freezer took away heat and changed the liquid juice into a frozen solid.
Practice
Answer these questions about matter experiments. Choose the best answer for each question.
1. What is the first thing a scientist does?
- A) Tell everyone the answer
- B) Ask a question
- C) Clean up the lab
- D) Go home
2. Emma put an ice cube in a sunny window. What will happen to the ice cube?
- A) It will get bigger
- B) It will melt into water
- C) It will turn into a rock
- D) Nothing will happen
3. Ben blew up a balloon. What is inside the balloon?
- A) Water
- B) Nothing
- C) Air (a gas)
- D) Ice
4. A prediction is:
- A) A guess about what will happen
- B) The final answer
- C) A type of solid
- D) A cleaning tool
5. Sarah poured water from a tall glass into a flat pan. What happened to the water?
- A) It disappeared
- B) It changed shape to match the pan
- C) It became ice
- D) It turned into air
6. Which safety rule is most important during science experiments?
- A) Work as fast as you can
- B) Always ask an adult to help
- C) Use as many materials as possible
- D) Skip the cleanup
7. Aiden left a puddle of water on the sidewalk. After a few hours in the sun, the puddle was gone. What happened?
- A) The water evaporated into the air
- B) The water froze
- C) Someone drank it
- D) The water became a solid
8. When you squeeze a balloon full of air, you can feel the air push back. This shows that:
- A) Air is not real
- B) Balloons are magical
- C) Gases take up space
- D) Air is a liquid
9. What happens when a solid gets very hot?
- A) It stays exactly the same
- B) It can melt and become a liquid
- C) It always disappears
- D) It becomes heavier
10. After doing an experiment, what should a scientist do?
- A) Forget what happened
- B) Record what they observed
- C) Break the materials
- D) Never tell anyone
Check Your Understanding
Think about these questions and discuss with a partner or adult.
- What are the five steps scientists use to investigate?
- Why is it important to make a prediction before doing an experiment?
- What happens to ice when heat is added? What state of matter does it become?
- How do we know that air (a gas) is real, even though we cannot see it?
- Why does water take the shape of whatever container it is in?
Next Steps
- Try one of the experiments at home with an adult's help
- Draw pictures of what you observe during your experiment
- Think of your own question about matter and design a simple experiment
- Continue to the next lesson to learn about recording data and making graphs