Meltdown

Add to list Go to activity
Activity link broken? See if it's at the internet archive
In this activity, learners heat ice and water of the same temperature to get a hands-on look at phase changes. This is an easy and inexpensive way to introduce states of matter and thermodynamics. The activity page includes a fun how-to video for learners and educators.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
Under 5 minutes
Learning Time:
5 to 10 minutes
Estimated Materials Cost:
1 cent - $1 per group of students
Age Range:
Ages 8 - 14
Resource Types:
Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity
Language:
English

Materials List (per group of students)

  • 2 12″ balloons
  • Water
  • Candle
  • Matches
  • Freezer/ice
  • Cup of water
  • Scale
  • Thermometer
  • Pot
  • Stove
  • Timer
  • Ice

Keywords

Subjects

  • Physical Sciences
    • Heat and Thermodynamics
      • Heat and Temperature
      • Heat Transfer
      • Thermodynamics and Entropy
    • Energy
    • States of Matter
      • Solids
      • Liquids
      • Changes of Phase
  • The Nature of Science
    • The Scientific Process
      • Conducting Investigations

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • read
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

Components that are part of this resource:

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, Children's Museum of Houston, 2010

Related Video