Particle Model of Matter

~ a lab notebook ~

Alberta Grade 6 Science
Organizing IdeaMatter — Understandings of the physical world are deepened by investigating matter and energy.
Guiding QuestionHow can the particles of matter be influenced by heating or cooling?
Learning OutcomeStudents investigate how particles of matter behave when heated or cooled and analyze effects on solids, liquids, and gases.
This lesson covers: The particle model of matter; heating causes particles to move faster and cooling causes them to slow down; as particles speed up, attractive forces between them weaken and the space between them increases; the three states of matter (solid, liquid, gas) and how they differ at the particle level.
O H H
Observation chamber — fig. 1
cold solid — particles vibrating in place
cold particle
hot particle
— — bond (attractive force)
Heat control:
15°
← cooler hotter →
state of matter:
Solid
e.g. ice
mass
30 particles
stays the same — no matter the state!
what's happening?
In ice, particles lock into an open hexagonal pattern with small gaps between them. They only wiggle in place.
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