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Listed under:  Science  >  Matter  >  States of matter
Video

Experimentals: Name these mystery objects

Compete in a game show against characters Einstein and Pythagoras to identify three different mystery objects. Each of the objects is the end product of a science demonstration. Compare your ideas and predictions with the host Bernie Hobbs's identification of the objects and her explanation of the science behind them.

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Elliot and the Surfing Scientist: From chocolate buttons to magic patterns

Want to do a simple science experiment that works just like a magic trick? Watch the Surfing Scientist to find out how. He creates a pattern made up of regular shapes by dissolving coated chocolate buttons.

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Elliot and the Surfing Scientist: Picking up ice cubes with string

Imagine trying to pick up a slippery ice cube with just a piece of string. Watch the Surfing Scientist team demonstrate how it can be done, using a surprising additive.

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Elliot and the Surfing Scientist: Properties and behaviour of gases

All substances are made up of tiny particles. A change in temperature can change the way these particles behave. Watch as the Surfing Scientist demonstrates how a gas behaves when it is heated. Find out whether the balloon gets sucked or pushed into the bottle!

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Elliot and the Surfing Scientist: Shrinking and expanding metals

Explore with the Surfing Scientist team what happens when metals are heated and cooled. Find out what happens to a metal ring when it is immersed in extremely cold liquid nitrogen. What do hinges on the Sydney Harbour Bridge have to do with all this? Find out.

Online

Heat changes everything

In this learning sequence, students explore a simple particle model for matter, heat energy and thermal expansion. They apply their learning to the context of expansion and contraction of rail lines and investigate ways that this is mitigated in real situations involving rail lines. They subsequently explain this to young ...

Interactive

Let's make slime!

This resource explains how to make slime using cornflour to produce something called a non-Newtonian fluid. A non-Newtonian fluid is a substance which has properties of a liquid and a solid. This means it can flow like a liquid, but also can have a set shape. It all depends on the amount of force you apply to it. In this ...

Interactive

Properties of Solids, Liquids and Gases

Students use this resource consisting of five slides with diagrams, written explanation and voice-over to understand the properties of the three states of matter. There is a two-question quiz and a summary slide.

Interactive

Change of state – water

Students use this short resource consisting of five slides with diagrams, written explanation and voice-over to demonstrate that water can exist on either of three states: solid, liquid or gas depending on its temperature. It defines melting and boiling points. There is a two-question quiz and a summary slide.

Audio

Lakes in Antarctica

Scientists are not complacent. We still have a lot to learn about the water cycle. The discovery of glacial lakes under the ice in Antarctica actively transporting water between reservoirs was a surprise. These lakes can be up to 3km beneath the ice sheets. The pressure of the ice above helps to melt the ice, forming lakes. ...

Audio

Microwave explosions

This ABC article and podcast by Dr Karl describes how superheated water can be produced by heating in a microwave and the dangers. This program could be a useful resource when studying the particle theory of matter.

Online

Water: learn it for life! - year 7 science

This PDF unit of work is one of a series of resources accessible by searching the list in the series.It includes two teaching and learning sequences: 'Water journeys' focuses on the water cycle, and 'Pure water' focuses on the processes and people involved in creating and managing drinkable water. It provides Australian ...

Text

Liquefied natural gas

Find out what liquefied natural gas (LNG) is and how it is produced and used. This is an information sheet describing the characteristics of LNG as well as how LNG is processed, stored, transported and used. It includes an image of an LNG tanker.

Interactive

The water cycle for kids

This interactive resource is a pictorial water-cycle diagram accompanied by an explanation. The resource shows an illustration of a landscape with stylised water drops representing changes of state such as precipitation and evaporation. The visual style is designed to be engaging to children. Simplified versions of the ...

Interactive

Melting and Boiling Point

Students use this resource consisting of eight slides with diagrams, written explanation and voice-over to understand what happens, in terms of energy and particle movement, when a substance changes state from solid to liquid to gas. There is a two-question quiz and a summary slide.

Interactive

The Particle Theory

Students use this resource consisting of four slides with diagrams, written explanation and voice-over to understand the different behaviour of particles in matter in solid, liquid and gaseous states. There is a two-question quiz and a summary slide.

Interactive

experiMENTALS: Magic potion

This resource contains a materials and instruction list and brief explanation for students about the process of dropping dry ice into food coloured water. Safety regulations should be checked and followed.

Interactive

Science Talk 2007: Ruben Meerman

Find out what happens when the ABC's Surfing scientist, Ruben Meerman visits Year 3 at Crown Street Public School with some liquid nitrogen! Ruben shows the Year 3 students what happens to solids and gases when they are cooled and warmed and relates this to real-world phenomena. Ruben also shows the kids some tricks with ...

Interactive

experiMENTALS: Spooky slime

This resource contains a materials and instruction list and brief explanation for students about the process of making spooky slime with cornflour to produce a substance that is a little like a liquid and a little like a solid.

Interactive

DIY Lava Lamp

This resource contains lessons plans containing instructions and teachers' notes for an activity based on a chemical reaction that occurs when a soluble aspirin tablet dissolves and the fact that oil and water do not mix are used to create a model of a lava lamp. Students have fun while they learn about density of fluids. ...