The activity helps students to investigate the properties associated with the different states of matter. With the help of the Atom viewer, the properties of substances are explained in terms of the packing of their particles. Models used also demonstrate the behaviour of atoms during melting and boiling.

This item teaches:

• how materials can vary in their appearance and state
• about the use of the particle model to describe changes in states of matter
• about the use of the particle model to describe solids, liquids and gases
• about the arrangement of molecules/ atoms in solids
• about the arrangement of molecules/ atoms in liquids
• about the arrangement of molecules/ atoms in gases