Introduction

As you have learned, materials can exist in three different states: solid, liquid, and gas. Water is a substance that we often see in all three states. You put solid water (ice) in your drinks to cool them down. You drink liquid water when you are thirsty. And, you breathe gaseous water when you take a breath. During this activity, you will watch your teacher melt and boil water, and make observations about what you see happening.

Objectives

In this experiment, you will

  • Determine the temperature at which ice melts.
  • Determine the temperature at which water boils.
  • Make observations about water as it goes from a solid to a liquid, and then to a gas.