Week 3

How do particles move in solids, liquids and gasses?

learning intentions

To perform a water boiling experiment with a Bunsen burner.
To communicate observations in a scientific way.
Investigate solids, liquids, and gases and model them using particle diagrams.

Success Criteria:

I can identify each state of matter and explain it using the kinetic theory of matter.
I can safely conduct an investigation boiling water.
I can write a scaffolded practical report.

Tasks

Knowledge & understanding

The kinetic theory of matter

Investigation Skills

Using a Bunsen burner
Boiling water practical investigation

Numeracy

Booklet - understanding a fair test (scientifically speaking).
Booklet - key elements of a graph.

Knowledge and understanding

solids, liquids & gasses

Water is a useful example for understanding the kinetic theory of matter because it can exist as ice, liquid water, and water vapour. In ice, ths solid form, the particles have low energy and vibrate in fixed positions. As heat is added, the particles gain kinetic energy, move more freely, and become liquid water. With further heating, the particles move very fast and spread far apart, forming water vapour. These changes show that differences between states of matter are caused by changes in particle motion and energy.

The water, or hydrologic, cycle describes the pilgrimage of water as water molecules make their way from the Earth’s surface to the atmosphere and back again, in some cases to below the surface. This gigantic system, powered by energy from the Sun, is a continuous exchange of moisture between the oceans, the atmosphere, and the land.

Water, Water, Everywhere

Water is practically everywhere on Earth. Moreover, it is the only known substance that can naturally exist as a gas, a liquid, and solid within the relatively small range of air temperatures and pressures found at the Earth’s surface.

In all, the Earth’s water content is about 1.39 billion cubic kilometres (331 million cubic miles), with the bulk of it, about 96.5%, being in the global oceans. As for the rest, approximately 1.7% is stored in the polar icecaps, glaciers, and permanent snow, and another 1.7% is stored in groundwater, lakes, rivers, streams, and soil. Only a thousandth of 1% of the water on Earth exists as water vapor in the atmosphere.

Despite its small amount, this water vapor has a huge influence on the planet. Water vapor is a powerful greenhouse gas, and it is a major driver of the Earth’s weather and climate as it travels around the globe, transporting latent heat with it. Latent heat is heat obtained by water molecules as they transition from liquid or solid to vapor; the heat is released when the molecules condense from vapor back to liquid or solid form, creating cloud droplets and various forms of precipitation.

Investigation skills

Practical Investigation:

Boiling water using a Bunsen burner

Numeracy

What are the essential elements of a line graph?

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