Free sample activity · Grades 3–5

States of Matter Practice

Review three common states of matter using everyday water examples. These are not the only states of matter, and a material's state depends on conditions such as temperature and pressure.

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How to use this activity

Allow about five minutes. Discuss the examples rather than performing heating or cooling experiments. For each change, name both the starting and ending state.

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Melting

An ice cube warms and becomes liquid water. What is this change called?

Freezing Melting Condensation
Answer: B.

Melting changes a solid into a liquid. Here, energy from warmer surroundings allows solid ice to become liquid water.

Freezing

Liquid water cools enough to become ice. What is happening?

Evaporation Melting Freezing
Answer: C.

Freezing changes a liquid into a solid. Water transfers energy to its cooler surroundings as it becomes ice.

Condensation

Water vapor cools and forms tiny liquid droplets on a cold surface. Which change is this?

Condensation Freezing Melting
Answer: A.

Condensation changes a gas into a liquid. The droplets are liquid water formed from water vapor in the air.

Liquid properties

Water is poured from a cup into a bowl without spilling. What stays approximately the same?

Its shape Its volume The shape of the container
Answer: B.

A liquid takes the shape of its container, but its volume stays approximately the same when it is simply poured without spilling.

Gas properties

Which statement describes a gas in a closed container?

It always keeps one rigid shape. It occupies only the bottom as a solid block. It spreads to fill the available space.
Answer: C.

A gas has no fixed shape or volume. It spreads through the available space in its container.

Evaporation

Liquid water on a damp cloth gradually changes to water vapor. What process is this?

Evaporation Condensation Freezing
Answer: A.

Evaporation changes liquid water at the surface into water vapor. The water is still present as a gas even though the cloth becomes dry.

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All questions, answers & explanations

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  1. Melting

    An ice cube warms and becomes liquid water. What is this change called?

    Answer: Melting

    Melting changes a solid into a liquid. Here, energy from warmer surroundings allows solid ice to become liquid water.

  2. Freezing

    Liquid water cools enough to become ice. What is happening?

    Answer: Freezing

    Freezing changes a liquid into a solid. Water transfers energy to its cooler surroundings as it becomes ice.

  3. Condensation

    Water vapor cools and forms tiny liquid droplets on a cold surface. Which change is this?

    Answer: Condensation

    Condensation changes a gas into a liquid. The droplets are liquid water formed from water vapor in the air.

  4. Liquid properties

    Water is poured from a cup into a bowl without spilling. What stays approximately the same?

    Answer: Its volume

    A liquid takes the shape of its container, but its volume stays approximately the same when it is simply poured without spilling.

  5. Gas properties

    Which statement describes a gas in a closed container?

    Answer: It spreads to fill the available space.

    A gas has no fixed shape or volume. It spreads through the available space in its container.

  6. Evaporation

    Liquid water on a damp cloth gradually changes to water vapor. What process is this?

    Answer: Evaporation

    Evaporation changes liquid water at the surface into water vapor. The water is still present as a gas even though the cloth becomes dry.

Take it one step further

Make a two-column list of changes that form liquid water and changes that turn liquid water into another state.

Background reading

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