Curated OER
The Chemistry of Refining Crude Oil
Consider our energy sources: wood, coal, oil, uranium. Learners compare the pollution to energy produced for each. They practice fractional distillation of an alcohol/water mixture to simulate the process of refining crude oil....
Parkway Schools
Phase Changes and Heat
In this phase changes learning exercise, students use the specific heats for different substances to determine how much heat is needed for those substance to change phases. This learning exercise has 9 problems to solve.
Curated OER
BioFuels: The Chemistry and Economics of Alternative Fuels
Junior chemists manufacture biodiesel in the lab. In this exercise, they check the purity of the biodiesel using thin layer chromatography. They also calculate its density and heat of combustion. They are sure to rise to the...
PhET
States of Matter
Water is the only molecule on Earth that can naturally exist in all three states of matter. The interactive simulation shows different molecules changing states of matter with the addition or removal of heat. Learners then see how...
Curated OER
Typical Conceptual Questions for Physics I - Heat
This worksheet would make a nifty quiz on the laws of thermodynamics. Nine multiple choice questions assess high schoolers' understanding of energy transfer, specific heat capacity, phase change, fusion, and vaporization. It is short but...
Virginia Department of Education
Molar Heat of Fusion for Water
How can you describe heat of fusion in a way the class understands and relates the importance of this concept to present day issues? In this third lesson plan of the series, learners conduct an experiment, demonstrating the flow of...
NOAA
Water Cycle
Be water wise! Science scholars learn the water cycle on a global scale in part seven of a 13-installment series. The hands-on interactive allows them to explore Earth's water storage, types of precipitation, and the cycling of water...
Curated OER
Water and Ice
Students make observations of ice as it melts. In this phase change lesson plan, students observe ice as it melts in a cup. They discuss their observations and place the cup of water into a freezer to change it back into ice.
Royal Society of Chemistry
Investigating Temperature Changes on Evaporating Liquids—Microscale Chemistry
Is there more to evaporation than just less liquid? Show young scientists the energy transformation that occurs during a phase change through a series of simple experiments. Lab partners place drops of water, ethanol, and ethoxyethane on...
PBS
The 3 Phases | Phases of Matter | UNC-TV Science
Explore the states of matter without the mess or expensive equipment in a compact, informative activity. Scientists watch as the narrator explains the three states of matter using a glass of ice and soda in an animated video that...
Curated OER
Temperature Changes Everything
Middle school chemists visit interactive websites in order to discover what happens to molecular motion when heat is added to matter. They conduct an experiment that demonstrates the expansion of matter with the addition of heat. A lab...
American Chemical Society
The Water Cycle
Bring the water cycle into the classroom without the mess. Learners build a model of the water cycle using everyday materials. They observe the process of evaporation and condensation and relate their observations to the larger scale...
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Changing States of Matter: Water’s Phase Changes
Third graders observe the properties of water and in its different states. In this states of matter lesson, 3rd graders view a video, read The Magic School Bus at the Waterworks and experiment with freezing, melting and boiling...
Curated OER
More Thermochemistry Problems
This two-page assignment covers basic thermochemistry concepts. Chemistry learners identify exothermic and endothermic processes, explain a phase change graph, and draw an energy level diagram. There are no problems to solve, just...
Curated OER
Ice Cream Lab
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! Even high schoolers enjoy making ice cream. This laboratory exercise has them record the temperature changes throughout the process of liquid becoming solid, graph the results, and...
National Weather Service
The Water Cycle
Looking for a full-color, labeled water cycle diagram? You found one! From evaporation to precipitation to plant uptake and everything in between, it's all here and beautifully illustrated.
Messenger Education
Cooling with Sunshades
Messenger's sun shade measures 8 ft x 6 ft and will have temperatures reaching 700 degree Fahrenheit on the outside while maintaining a cool 70 degrees underneath. In the third activity of four, groups discuss the basic properties of...
Virginia Department of Education
Changes in Ecosystems
How does water pollution affect the environment? Provide your class with the resources to answer this question as they learn about eutrophication and ecosystem changes. Over two weeks, they simulate the effects of pollution on the...
Curated OER
Heating Curve
Wow! This is a nifty presentation for teaching high school chemists about the heating curve. It displays a graph for temperature vs. heat added, then enters the curve itself. The final slide identifies each part of the curve. Notes are...
Mr. E. Science
Changes in Matter
Do solids, liquids, and gases even matter? The presentation focuses on changes in matter, including phases, Boyle's Law, Charles' Law, and physical changes.
Curated OER
Chemistry Worksheet-Phase Changes
In this phase change worksheet, students answer twenty questions about changes in energy to a system. They analyze phase diagrams, the determine the effects of changes in temperature on a system, they answer questions about miscibility,...
Curated OER
It's The States of Matter
Students investigate the properties of solids, liquids and gases. In this states of matter lesson plan, students observe dry ice and its characteristics. They calculate the density of dry ice and observe the sublimation of the dry ice...
Curated OER
Solid, Liquid, and Gas
Delve into the differences among solids, liquids, and gases with this PowerPoint. It is both applicable and attractive. Large, colorful diagrams display the molecular arrangement of each state of matter and their properties are arranged...
Curated OER
Water Happenings
Fifth graders observe how water changes phase through a teacher-led demo. For this earth science lesson, 5th graders relate the demo to the water cycle. They draw and label each stage of the cycle.