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Chemistry
Solids, Liquids, and Gases
Three Forms of Matter for Grade 2
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Matter is the stuff that makes up things around us. Your desk, water, air, toys, and snacks are all made of matter. Matter can be a solid, a liquid, or a gas. Learning these three states helps children describe and sort the world they see every day.
Solids keep their own shape, liquids flow and take the shape of their container, and gases spread out to fill space. Heating and cooling can sometimes change matter from one state to another. Ice can melt into water, and water can change into water vapor. These changes help us understand weather, cooking, and many classroom science activities.
Key Facts
- Matter = anything that takes up space and has mass.
- Solid = has its own shape and takes up space.
- Liquid = takes the shape of its container and takes up space.
- Gas = spreads out to fill the space around it.
- Heating can change a solid into a liquid, such as ice to water.
- Cooling can change a liquid into a solid, such as water to ice.
Vocabulary
- Matter
- Matter is anything that takes up space and has mass.
- Solid
- A solid is matter that keeps its own shape.
- Liquid
- A liquid is matter that flows and takes the shape of its container.
- Gas
- A gas is matter that spreads out and fills space.
- Melt
- To melt means to change from a solid into a liquid when heated.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Saying air is not matter, because air is invisible. Air is matter because it takes up space, like when it fills a balloon.
- Thinking all solids are hard. Some solids, like clay or a sponge, can be soft but still keep their shape.
- Calling every wet thing a liquid. A wet towel is still a solid because the towel keeps its shape.
- Thinking liquids always look the same. A liquid can look different in a cup, bowl, or bottle because it takes the shape of its container.
Practice Questions
- 1 Mia has 4 solid blocks and 3 liquid cups of water on a table. How many examples of matter are on the table in all?
- 2 A class sorts 12 objects. 5 are solids and 4 are liquids. How many are gases?
- 3 A balloon is filled with air. Is the air inside the balloon a solid, liquid, or gas? Explain how you know.