Experiment: Identifying states of matter

Inquiry Activity

Make a prediction: How do you know if something is a solid, liquid, and gas?

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Materials: 

safety goggles

2 Ziploc bags

balloon

water

block

Procedure: 

1. Blow air into a balloon

2. Fill the 1st bag with water

3. Place a block in the 2nd bag

4. Place all three objects on a table.

5. Explore each item. Record data in a journal describing what you observe with each object.

6. In your journal answer the following questions:

     a. What happened when you squeezed the Ziploc bag with the water?  the block? What is the state of matter in each bag?

     b.  What do you think is inside the  balloon? What is its state of matter?

     c. Look at the diagram above and record how solids and liquids are similar and how liquids and gases are similar.

     d.  What is the difference between the three objects?