Changing
Shape : Can the materials
change their shape?
A liquid
can change its shape depending on
the container it is poured into
and depending on extreme temperature
change, gases
fill in and spread to fill the space
they can reach and a solid
does not change its shape but we
can change its shape by either bending
it, taking away from it or melting
it..
Flowing
: Can the materials
flow? Liquids
and gases
can flow, whereas solids
cannot flow.
Changing
Volume : Can
the materials change their volume
by being squeezed? A liquid and
a solid material don’t change
very much in volume, but they can
expand slightly when put under extreme
temperatures (hot & cold). A
gas can be changed by squashing
it.
Materials and their
Particles
All materials are made up of tiny
particles and the way these particles
are arranged helps to explain the
different properties of the three
materials.
Let's
look at these three materials and
their particles:
Solids
: The
particles in a solid
are packed so closely together and
therefore hold onto each other very
tightly that they can barely move
at all. The particles in a solid
are fixed in a pattern
so the shape and volume cannot be
changed unless chopped, cut or chiselled.
Therefore, solids
don’t flow and why they keep
their shape. Solids
cannot be squashed into smaller
volumes due to the particles being
so close together.
Liquids
: The particles in a liquid
are very close together, but they
don't hold onto each other very
strongly. The particles in a
liquid are always moving
around each other, but with no pattern
and changing places all the time.
Therefore, liquids
flow so easily and can take up the
shape of the container you put them
in. Because the particles are very
close together you cannot squeeze
a liquid
into a smaller space.
Gases
: The particles in gases are a long
way away from each other and they
bounce around hitting each other
which keeps them apart. The particles
bounce off the walls and off each
other and can be squeezed closer
together when compressed. Gases
flow easily and spread out to fill
all available spaces. It is easy
to change the volume of gases as
they are mostly empty space and
the particles can easily be squeezed
together into a smaller space and
this is why it is easy to change
the volume of a gas.
A burning candle is a solid,
liquid and gas.
Solids
= Wood, Soap, Iron, Brick and Ice
Liquids
= Paint, Petrol, Vinegar, Water
& Cola
Gases
= Helium, Steam, Hydrogen,
Oxygen & Carbon Dioxide
