Heat and Particles

Downloadable (1 PDF - 8 pages) 

Ideal for grades 5-8, students investigate the relationship between temperature and kinetic energy of particles. In this lesson student will be watching a simple phenomenon – water changing state from solid, to liquid, to gas. In the lesson they will be asked to graph their data and create a heat curve. Students will then begin an investigation into the particle theory and how state change and temperature lead to a change in particle movement in water. 

After completing this lesson, students will be able to:

• Describe particle theory and how physical and temperature changes lead to particle movements
• Recognize a change in state and its relationship to temperature and kinetic energy.

Resources included:

• Lesson plan
• Student worksheet
• Phenomena diagram

Additional resources required: (per group)

• One glass beaker
• Ice cubes
• Hot plate
• Thermometer
• Graph paper