Particles in Motion

Lab Brief #2

🎯 Your mission

Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.

⚡ The twist

If it bubbles, something invisible is escaping.

What you'll learn

Matter is made of tiny particles that are always in motion. In solids, particles vibrate in place; in liquids, they slide past each other; in gases, they move freely.

Key words

solid
A form of matter that keeps its own shape.
liquid
A wet material that flows and takes the shape of its container.

Make a hypothesis first

Guess: will the fizz be loud, soft, or none at all?

Say your guess out loud — then find out if you were right.

Get ready

🧰 What you need

vinegar
baking soda
paper towels

⚠️ Safety first

Wear eye protection, keep the substance off skin, and wash your hands when you finish.
Mop up spills straight away so nobody slips, and keep liquids away from sockets.

Step 1 of 4 · Read

Look at the vocabulary words and write a definition for each in your own words.

Step 2 of 4 · Do

Test 5 household liquids (vinegar, milk, lemon juice, baking soda water, soap) with pH paper. Classify each as acid, base, or neutral.

Step 3 of 4 · Observe

Compare the before and after states.

Step 4 of 4 · Record

Write your conclusion: did the results match your hypothesis? What would you change next time?

Question 1 of 3

What happens to particle motion when matter is heated?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Question 2 of 3

What are the three common states of matter?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Question 3 of 3

Which state of matter has a definite shape and volume?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Mind = blown

💧 Hot water can freeze faster than cold water under the right conditions. Nobody fully understands why.

Nice work!

You got 0 of 3 right.

Next: Changing States of Matter All lessons

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✨ More to explore

🌍 Where you see this in real life: This is happening in your kitchen right now — every time food cooks.

🏆 Stretch challenge (try it this week): Find one ingredient in a snack and look up what it does.

👨‍👩‍👧 For the dinner table: “What's something we cook that mixes things together this way?”

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