Summer 1

States of Matter

This week we identified what solids, gases and liquids were, and how their particles differed. If you look at our photos, can you guess which state of matter we were replicating?

This week we asked the question- how do different materials react when they are poured. We made predictions about how the particles in the different materials would react when being poured. We discovered that solids form a pile and liquids spread when they are poured. 

Whilst investigating and comparing different materials and how they react, we also discussed and observed some anomalies. We talked about and observed how some materials can be exception to the rules. We discussed how bath bombs and toothpaste are both solids that when they come in to contact with a liquid a reaction is triggered so that they produce carbon dioxide- a gas. 
 

Carbon dioxide is the gas that makes carbonated drinks fizzy. Usually, if you shake up a bottle of fizzy pop and open it, the gas will escape, as will some of the liquid. We experimented what would happen if we put different surfaced small objects into the bottle. We discovered the objects with rough surfaces created the gas to escape quickly. We did not expect that the most gas to leave the bottle when we put small pebbles in the bottles. 

Flinker Investigation 

We explored how different gas have different densities. We observed how hot air balloons can go up or down depending on the density of the air in the balloon. We had the challenge of making a helium balloon have the same density as oxygen so that the balloon just hovered in the air. 

Robert Boyle was a scientist from the 17th century. His most famous work included Boyle Law. As a class we researched his life and worked. We asked questions about how his science has had an impact upon our lives today. We also put Boyle law to test by squeezing a closed bottle. We listened to and observed the pressure when the sealed lid was taken off. We then repeated this but not squeezing the bottle. Even with just water we could hear the pressure being released from the bottle.