WebQuest
Exploring the three states of matter
Introduction
Matter is everything around you. Atoms and molecules are all composed of matter. Matter is anything that has mass and takes up space. Mass is the amount of stuff in an object. Matter is sometimes related to light and electromagnetic radiation. Even though matter can be found all over the Universe, you will only find it in a few forms on Earth. Each of those states is sometimes called a phase.The three states of matter that will be covered is Solid, liquid and gas.
Solids are formed when the attractive forces between individualmolecules are greater than the energy causing them to move apart. Individual molecules are locked in position near each other, and cannot move past one another. The atoms or molecules of solids remain in motion. However, that motion is limited to vibration energy; individual molecules stay fixed in place and vibrate next to each other. As the temperature of a solid is increased, the amount of vibration increases, but the solid retains its shape and volume because the molecules are locked in place relative to each other.
Liquids are formed when the energy (usually in the form of heat) of asystem is increased and the rigid structure of the solid state is broken down. In liquids, molecules can move past one another and bump into other molecules; however, they remain relatively close to each other like solids. Often in liquids, intermolecular forces (such as thehydrogen bonds) pull molecules together and are quickly broken. As the temperature of a liquid is increased, the amount of movement of individual molecules increases. As a result, liquids can "flow" to take the shape of their container but they cannot be easily compressed because the molecules are already close together. Thus, liquids have an undefined shape, but a defined volume. In the example animation below, we see that liquid water is made up of molecules that can freely move past one another, yet remain relatively close in distance to each other.
Gases are formed when the energy in the system exceeds all of the attractive forces between molecules. Thus gas molecules have little interaction with each other beyond occasionally bumping into one another. In the gas state, molecules move quickly and are free to move in any direction, spreading out long distances. As the temperature of a gas increases, the amount of movement of individual molecules increases. Gases expand to fill their containers and have low density. Because individual molecules are widely separated and can move around easily in the gas state, gases can be compressed easily and they have an undefined shape.
Attachments
State of matter song
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http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=284860
WebQuest Hits: 810
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