What are the Different States of Matter?

Content Standards

In this lesson, learners will demonstrate an understanding of the three states of water – solid, liquid, and gas – and how water changes state with temperature. They can recognise and represent these states in visual, contextual, and experiential formats.

Performance Standards

By the end of the session, students will be able to:

Identify and represent water’s solid, liquid, and gaseous states using visual models and real-life examples.
Understand the key terms and properties of each state of water.
Describe the processes of state change (melting, evaporation, condensation, freezing).
Apply the concept to real-world scenarios, such as drying clothes, boiling water, and the water cycle.

Alignment Standards

Reference: NCERT Book Alignment

The lesson is aligned with Chapter 8 of the NCERT Grade 6 Science Textbook, A Journey through States of Water.

Section 8.3 – What are the Different States of Water?

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

Identify and represent solid, liquid, and gas states of water.
Understand and explain the properties of each state.
Describe and illustrate the transitions between the states.
Apply the concept of states of water to everyday life situations (e.g., cooking, weather, and household chores).

Prerequisites (Prior Knowledge)

Awareness that water can appear in different forms (e.g., steam, ice, rain).
Basic understanding of temperature changes and their effects.
Experience observing physical changes in materials (e.g., melting chocolate, boiling milk).

Introduction

In this session, students will explore the States of Water, a key concept in understanding changes in matter. They will use real-life examples, visuals, and hands-on observation to investigate how water behaves in different forms: ice, liquid water, and vapour. This will help them relate scientific concepts to everyday life and understand evaporation, melting, and condensation phenomena.

Timeline (40 Minutes)

Title	Approximate Duration	Procedure	Reference Material
Engage	5	“Have you ever seen water turn into steam or ice?” Ask students to imagine leaving a glass of water in the freezer or boiling water in a kettle. Discuss what happens to the water.	Slides
Explore	10	Hands-on with an ice cube and water transfer. Observe and record shape, flow, and spreading. Encourage students to think of places they’ve seen water change its state at home or outside.	Slides
Explain	10	Define solid, liquid, and gas. Explain state change processes: melting, evaporation, freezing, and condensation. Discuss molecular arrangements and how molecules behave in each state.	Slides and Virtual Lab
Evaluate	10	Ask students to complete a self-evaluation task on the LMS.	Virtual Lab
Extend	5	Discuss :When water gets converted into water vapour, how does this water vapour spread? Compare this with the spreading behaviour of water.	Slides

What are the Different States of Matter?

Introduction

In this lesson, students will learn about the three physical states of water – solid, liquid, and gas – and how water changes from one state to another with temperature changes. Through simple observations, hands-on activities, and real-life examples, students will explore how water behaves in each state and understand its importance in daily life, such as melting ice, boiling water, and evaporation during drying.

Theory

Introduction: Why Learn About States of Water?

Have you ever wondered why ice cubes melt, how water disappears from wet clothes, or why you can smell food cooking from another room? These everyday experiences happen because water can exist in different states – solid, liquid, and gas – and can change between them. For example, when you leave an ice cube on the table, it melts into water. If you heat that water, it turns into steam. This shows the need to understand how water behaves in different states.

What are the States of Water?

Definition:
Water exists in three states – solid (ice), liquid (water), and gas (water vapor). Each state has its own properties.

Key Components:

Solid (Ice): Has a fixed shape and volume. Does not flow or spread. Example: An Ice cube retains its shape even in different containers.
Liquid (Water): Has a fixed volume but no fixed shape. It flows and takes the shape of the container.
Example: Pouring water into a bottle or bowl changes shape.
Gas (Water Vapour): It has no fixed shape or volume and spreads to fill the entire space.
Example: Steam from boiling water spreads and mixes with air.

C. Steps / Process – Changing States of Water

Step 1: Melting
Ice (solid) changes to water (liquid) when heated.

Step 2: Evaporation
Water (liquid) changes to vapour (gas) when heated further.

Step 3: Condensation
Water vapour (gas) cools down to form water (liquid).

Step 4: Freezing
Water (liquid) turns back into ice (solid) when cooled.

Visual Representation

Example:

Property	Ice (Solid)	Water (Liquid)	Water Vapour (Gas)
Shape	Fixed	Not fixed	Not fixed
Volume	Fixed	Fixed	Not fixed
Ability to Flow	No	Yes	Yes
Ability to Spread	No	Yes (limited)	Yes (freely)

Applications / Why is it Useful?

1. Drying clothes – Water evaporates into vapour.
2. Refrigeration – Water turns into ice to keep items cold.
3. Boiling water for cooking – Water changes into steam.
4. Rain cycle – Evaporation, condensation, and precipitation involve all states.
5. Understanding smell travel – Vapours carry scent molecules through the air.

Vocabulary

This is the list of vocabulary terms used throughout the lesson.

Solid: A state of matter with a fixed shape and volume. Example: Ice.

Liquid: A state of matter with a fixed volume but no fixed shape. Example: Water.

Gas: A state of matter with no fixed shape or volume. Example: Water vapour.

Evaporation: The process by which a liquid changes into a gas.

Condensation: The process where gas turns back into a liquid.

Melting: The process of a solid turning into a liquid.

Freezing: The process where a liquid turns into a solid.

Volume: The amount of space something occupies.

Shape: The external form of an object or substance.

Spread: The ability of a substance (especially liquids and gases) to move out into a wider area.

What are the Different States of Matter?

Introduction

Welcome to the States of Matter Virtual Lab!

Here, you’ll explore how water changes between ice, liquid, and vapour. Use the temperature slider to heat or cool water and watch the molecules move faster, slower, or spread apart. You’ll see ice melt, water boil, vapour condense, and even try out challenges to test your knowledge. Learn how particles behave in different states while experimenting in a safe and interactive way!

Key Features

Key Features

Easy navigation with menu options:

Solid State
Liquid State
Gas State

Animated molecular models showing the arrangement and movement of particles

Real-time changes in state based on temperature using a slider control

State transition visuals:

Ice melting to water
Water boiling to vapour
Vapour condensing to water

Quiz mode with instant feedback

Step-by-Step Procedure for VR Experience

Step-by-Step Procedure for VR Experience

1. Access the Virtual Lab
Use the provided link or portal to launch the “States of Water” simulation.

2. Navigate to the Menu
Begin by selecting one of the three tabs:

Introduction
States of Matter
Changes of States of Matter
Quiz

3. States of Matter Explanation

Observe each state and molecule distribution.

4. Transition to Liquid State

Use the temperature slider to heat the ice cube slowly.
Watch it melt into liquid water.
View molecules becoming loosely packed and free to move, but still relatively close.
Observe how water flows and takes the shape of its container.

5. Transition to Gas State

Continue sliding the temperature bar to increase heat.
Water starts to boil and turns into vapour.
Molecules are now widely spaced and rushing in all directions.
See how vapour spreads to fill the available space.

6. Condensation Process (Reverse)

Reduce the temperature using the slider.
Vapour condenses back to water (observe molecules slowing and coming closer).
Further cooling leads to freezing, converting water back to solid ice.

7. Interactivity

Explore each state by moving water between differently shaped containers.
Use the “Spread Test” to observe water on a surface vs. vapour in air.

8. Quiz Mode (Optional)

Attempt quick questions like:

1. “Which state flows but has fixed volume?”
2. “Which state has the fastest-moving molecules?