Key Stage 2
Meaning
State of matter means whether a material is solid, liquid or gas.
About States of Matter
- Materials can be solid, liquid or gas.
- The state of matter can be changed by heating or cooling the material.
- Heating can turn a solid into a liquid and turn a liquid to a gas.
- Cooling can turn a gas into a liquid and liquid into solid.
Solid
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Solids are a state of matter that:
- Hold their shape if you leave them alone.
- Do not flow.
- Keep the same size even if you squash them they might get longer, but they also get thinner keeping the same size overall.
Examples of solid materials:
- Brick
- Wood
- Plastic
- Glass
- Ice
Liquid
Liquids are a state of matter that:
- Cannot hold their shape
- Fit the shape of the container.
- Can be poured and will flow.
- Keep the same size. If you pour water into different shaped containers the water will not spread out or fit in a smaller space.
Examples of liquid materials:
- Water
- Oil
Gas
Gases are a state of matter that:
- Cannot hold their shape.
- Fit the shape of their container.
- Can be poured and will flow.
- Can change size to fit the size of their container. They spread out and can be squashed into a smaller space.
Examples of gas materials:
- Air (A mixture of gases, mostly nitrogen and oxygen)
- Steam