American Chemical Society
Dissolving is a Property
Believe it or not, it is possible for liquids and solids to get along! A hands-on lesson has individuals explore dissolving properties of candies in water. They complete an activity guide to record observations about different candies...
American Chemical Society
Liquids Have Properties
Liquids have many similarities, but their differences can set them apart. Using a student activity guide, learners conduct different property tests on water, oil, and syrup. They record their results and use them to rank the liquids by...
American Chemical Society
All Wet
Sometimes liquids just don't get along together. A fun experiment has scholars determine whether various liquids dissolve in water. They pour isopropyl alcohol, vegetable oil, and corn syrup into cups of water to see which ones mix well...
American Chemical Society
Mentos and Diet Coke!
Let the bubbles tell the story. Using a hands-on lesson, budding scientists learn how carbon dioxide in soda interacts with objects placed in the soda. The lesson explains how the gas adheres to the surface of the objects based on the...
American Chemical Society
Dissolving M-and-Ms
Learning ... how sweet it is! A hands-on lesson uses colored candies to demonstrate how positive and negative charges interact. Pupils use different types of liquids and watch as the color from the candies spreads—or doesn't.
American Chemical Society
Forming a Precipitate
Things are getting a little slippery in an inquiry-based lesson studying precipitates. Learners use soap and Alka-Seltzer tablets to create different mixtures with water. They then study the properties of the mixtures including their...
American Chemical Society
The Density of Liquids
It's in your destiny to study density! Young scientists conduct an experiment to study the relationship between weight and density. They compare weights of liquid samples of different substances and predict how their densities are related.
American Chemical Society
Mixing Liquids to Identify an Unknown Liquid
Yellow and blue make green in a colorful lesson on liquid solutions. The seventh installment of a 16-part Inquiry to Action series asks pupils to mix different-colored solutions and record their observations. They then use their...
American Chemical Society
Identifying an Unknown Liquid
Liquids are what's the matter with the lesson! Learners investigate properties of different liquids as they interact with various types of paper. They then use their observations to identify a mystery liquid to finish the sixth lesson in...
American Chemical Society
The Water Cycle
Bring the water cycle into the classroom without the mess. Learners build a model of the water cycle using everyday materials. They observe the process of evaporation and condensation and relate their observations to the larger scale...
American Chemical Society
Matter Is Made of Tiny Particles
Believe in the invisible and convince the class that tiny particles exist even if they can't see them! A thorough lesson plan investigates all phases of matter and provides pupils hands-on experiences that demonstrate that all matter is...
University of Waikato
Water Molecules in Drama
The state of molecules is changing. Young actors and actresses perform the process of phase change in front of the class. They assume the roles of water molecules and, as a group, show how the behavior of the molecules in the solid,...
University of Waikato
Solid to Liquid to Gas
Help classes understand heat as a form of energy. A hands-on activity has learners investigate how heat, or the lack of heat, affects the physical state of water. They then connect their discoveries to the water cycle.
University of Waikato
Looking at Water - Solid, Liquid, or Gas
Here's a tip: only one substance is commonly found as a solid, liquid, and gas. Learners use that knowledge as they investigate the properties of water in each state. They interact with water in each of its three phases and record what...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Gelatin Microfluidics
Micro what? Analyze microfluidics as an application in the medical community. A lab investigation highlights the importance of channel design in biotechnology. Learners modify channels and observe the behavior of the flow of the fluids.
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Lab On A Slab
Capillary action is the frugal chemist's dream ... the less liquid used, the more tests they can run! Learners experiment with the best design to maximize the benefits of capillary action. Using a liquid sample, they design a capillary...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Making a Liquid Crystal Thermometer
Introduce your classes to a fourth state of matter! Liquid crystals have a colorful sheen that changes based on different physical factors. Learners use this information to create a liquid crystal thermometer where the color of the...
Chemistry Collective
Virtual Lab: Identifying an Unknown Liquid from its Density
Mislabeled bottles can cause a dangerous situation! Young chemists design a method for determining the true contents of a solution in a virtual lab activity. Their study of density helps them identify the makeup of the solution.
Royal Society of Chemistry
State Symbols
When water is a solvent in a chemical equation, we consider it an aqueous solution. Scholars match the name of four states of matter to their proper symbol in a chemical equation. Four puzzles provide repetition to help pupils remember...
Royal Society of Chemistry
States of Matter 2
While scientists have identified seven states of matter, these puzzles cover the most common three. Scholars match the properties, particle motion, and particle picture to each type of matter. Three Sudoku-style puzzles review the data...
DiscoverE
Electrical Liquids
Liquid or not, here comes the electricity. Scholars test the conductivity of various substances using a circuit that includes a light bulb. If the light bulb lights up, then the liquid is a conductor. What a bright idea!
Royal Society of Chemistry
States of Matter 1
Do solids, liquids, and gases even matter? Scholars match the state of matter to its particle picture, size and shape description, and description of the arrangement of the particles. Once they complete that activity, they complete a...
Royal Society of Chemistry
A Cartesian Diver—Classic Chemistry Experiments
Sometimes the simplest experiments leave the biggest impression! Introduce young chemists to the Cartesian Diver by having them make one of their own. Use the Diver to further their study of liquids and gases, as well as compression.
Royal Society of Chemistry
Investigating Temperature Changes on Evaporating Liquids—Microscale Chemistry
Is there more to evaporation than just less liquid? Show young scientists the energy transformation that occurs during a phase change through a series of simple experiments. Lab partners place drops of water, ethanol, and ethoxyethane on...