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Solids & Liquids & Gasses, Oh My!

The three states of matter are solid, liquid, and gas. Talk about ice as a solid, water as a liquid that takes the shape of its container, and steam as a gas that fills the room. Once your child learns about matter, they can identify objects as to what state they’re in.

Solids & Liquids & Gasses, Oh My!

Materials

Ice cubes
Large bowl
Stove
Pot or kettle
(Optional) containers of other shapes (vases, cups, glasses, etc.)
(Optional) Ice cube tray

Instructions

Fill a bowl with ice. Let your child touch the ice. Talk about solids and their properties. A solid matter has a definite shape and volume that cannot easily be changed.
Now let the ice melt, which will be the longest part of this science experiment unless you speed things along. You can point a hairdryer at the bowl or put it into a larger bowl with hot water in it. You could also go about your daily business and simply come back to the experiment later. If you choose this route, try to start the experiment in the morning to allow plenty of time for the other two parts. Talk about how water is still matter, but it is free-flowing and takes the shape of whatever container you put it in. Put the water from your bowl into different shaped containers so your child can observe this.
Finally, pour the water into a pot or kettle and heat the water on the stove. As it begins to boil, steam will rise, which is a gas. Have them watch the condensation droplets form as it touches whatever is above your stove and cools back down. Let them get near enough to the steam to feel the warmth and extra humidity of the surrounding air. Talk about how gas still takes up space but has no shape since it goes everywhere and seems to disappear.

Solids & Liquids & Gasses, Oh My!

Why is this a great thing to do?

Introduces your child to physics.

Experiences sensory play.

Practices patience.

Piques their curiosity.

Talk About

“What do solids feel like?”

“What does the liquid feel like?”

“What does gas feel like?”

“Do you think all solids feel the same?”

“There are many gasses that you can’t feel. Scientists have to develop special tests to detect them.”

“What are some other solids we use every day? Other liquids? Are there other gasses we can see?”

Tips & Extensions

Do a scavenger hunt around the house for items that are solids and liquids. Gas might be a bit trickier, so you may want to start by including just one item to search for, such as clouds outside your window.

Give your child a second bowl and a pair of tongs to play with the ice and transfer it between the bowls. Now your science experiment also includes sensory play and fine motor skills practice!

Close your bathroom door and run a hot bath to show steam again in a place where the gas can fill the room more thoroughly.

Different liquids boil at different temperatures. Purchase a hand boiler to play with this concept if it interests you

Make STEM Connections

Help your child develop a more in-depth understanding that matter comes in different forms: Solids, liquids, and gases. A solid keeps its shape, a liquid takes the shape of its container, and gas fills its container.

Learn about science with the Berenstain Bears.

There is an excellent Berenstain Bears book that teaches several science concepts, including states of matter using water, ice, and steam. The wording is suitable for young children, so it makes a great introduction to many scientific concepts, as well as provides ideas for simple experiments.

Talk about fire safety.

Many gasses are almost invisible, making them hard to see. If you have a gas stove or candle lighter at home, what you are seeing when someone turns it on to cook is not the gas, it is the fire burning the gas up. Fire can’t burn without another kind of gas too, oxygen, the gas we all breathe! That is one of the reasons why, if there is ever a fire, you aren’t supposed to open doors because that provides the fire with more oxygen and might make the fire bigger. Try making a campfire outside or in your fireplace and see what happens when you blow or use bellows on the flames.

Make some slime.

Your slime will stretch if you pull it slowly, but it breaks if you pull it too fast, because slime is a non-Newtonian fluid. Non-Newtonian fluids like Oobleck, quicksand, and silly putty change state from solid to the liquid-based matter depending upon the pressure that is applied to them. Have your child experiment to see how it works. To make the slime:

Pour 1/4 cup glue into a large bowl. Add one tablespoon water and stir until combined. Slowly add 1/8 cup liquid starch and mix until thick and slimy, making sure there is no unmixed glue hiding in the center of your slime.
Knead the slime with your hands. It may be easiest to remove the slime from the bowl and use a clean, flat surface for kneading. If the slime is still too sticky, return it to the bowl and add additional starch, a little bit at a time, and knead until it’s the right consistency.

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Correlation

2-PS1-1

Plan and conduct an investigation to describe and classify different kinds of materials by their observable properties.

2-PS1-2

Analyze data obtained from testing different materials to determine which materials have the properties that are best suited for an intended purpose.

2-PS1-4

Construct an argument with evidence that some changes caused by heating or cooling can be reversed and some cannot.