Explaining How Matter Changes

Hello Daniella and Alisia!

Today, we are going to explore the exciting world of matter and how it can change! Matter is anything that has weight and takes up space. It can be found in different forms like solid, liquid, and gas. Let's break down how these changes happen step by step!

1. Types of Matter

Let's start by knowing the three main types of matter:

• Solids: These have a fixed shape. Think of ice cubes or a wooden block.
• Liquids: These take the shape of their container, like water or juice.
• Gases: These spread out to fill any space, like the air we breathe.

2. Physical Changes

Physical changes are when matter changes but doesn't turn into something new. Here are some examples:

• Melting: When ice cubes melt into water, they change from solid to liquid, but they are still water!
• Freezing: When water freezes, it turns into ice; it's still water, just in a different form.
• Cutting: If you cut an apple into pieces, it’s still an apple but in smaller pieces!

3. Chemical Changes

Chemical changes are a bit different. They create something new! Here are some examples:

• Rusting: When iron gets wet, it can turn into rust, which is a new material.
• Baking: When you bake a cake, the ingredients change and create a yummy cake!
• Burning: When you burn wood, it turns into ash and smoke, so it's not wood anymore.

4. Fun Experiment!

Want to see a physical change? Try this:

1. Take an ice cube and let it sit out at room temperature.
2. Watch it melt into water!

That’s a physical change since it's still water.

Conclusion

So, remember, matter can change in two main ways: through physical changes where it stays the same substance, and chemical changes where it becomes a new substance. It's like magic but based on science!

Keep exploring, and you'll discover even more amazing things about how matter works!