The States of Matter
SOLIDS, LIQUIDS, and GASES

By Mrs. Conway
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What is matter? Matter is anything in this world that takes up space. Look around, what do you see? Ice is matter. Air is matter. Even the water you drink is matter!

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All matter is either a solid, a liquid, or a gas. Click here to look at matter up close.
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We describe matter by its properties. We use our five senses to  explain  properties.

5 SENSES

  • Sense of Smell
  • Sense of Taste
  • Sense of Hearing
  • Sense of Touch
  • Sense of Sight 
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What is a solid? A solid can change its shape and size. Here are some properties to describe solids.
  • hard
  • small
  • big
  • soft
  • flexible
  • rough
  • smooth
  • round
  • sharp

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What is a liquid? A liquid has no shape of its own. It can take the shape of a container. Unlike a solid, liquids can be poured.Here are some properties to describe liquids.
  • bubbly
  • foamy
  • transparent (see-through)
  • cloudy
  • cold
  • hot
  • warm
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Can solids change to liquids? Can liquids change to solids? The answer to both questions is YES! Ice cubes are solids. If you melt them, they become liquids. Liquid chocolate can be cooled to make solid chocolate. You might wonder what makes liquids and solids change. Heating them up or cooling them down changes their state of matter.
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What are gases? Gases cannot always be seen. They have no shape and no size. They can fill an object such as a balloon. Here are some properties to describe gases.
  • steamy
  • smelly
  • smoky
  • airy
  • light 
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Let's sort some states of matter! Click here to complete an activity!
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