Solids and Liquids
Is it solid or liquid? Let's learn about the two states of matter we see every day!
What Are Solids?
A solid keeps its own shape. You can hold it in your hand and it does not change shape by itself.
Properties of Solids
Keeps its shape
Can be hard or soft
Can be picked up
What Are Liquids?
A liquid flows and does not have its own shape. It takes the shape of whatever container you pour it into.
Properties of Liquids
Flows and pours
Takes container shape
Cannot be picked up
Heating and Cooling Can Change Things!
Heat and cold can change materials from solid to liquid — and back again!
Ice
(Solid)
Heat it up 🔥
Cool it down ❄️
Water
(Liquid)
When you heat ice, it melts into water. When you cool water, it freezes into ice!
💡 Think About It!
What happens to an ice cream on a hot day? Why does that happen? What makes you say that?
🧪 Try It at Home!
Ice Melting Experiment
You will need: 3 ice cubes and 3 different locations.
- Put one ice cube on a plate in the sun
- Put one ice cube on a plate in the shade
- Put one ice cube on a plate in the fridge
- Check every 10 minutes. Which one melts first?
- Think: why did the one in the sun melt fastest?
This shows how heat makes solids change into liquids!
Key Vocabulary
Solid
A material that keeps its shape. You can hold it in your hand.
Liquid
A material that flows and pours. It takes the shape of its container.
Melt
When a solid gets hot and turns into a liquid. Ice melts into water.
Freeze
When a liquid gets cold and turns into a solid. Water freezes into ice.
Knowledge Check
Choose the correct answer for each question. Click "Check Answer" to see if you are right!
Question 1
Which of these is a liquid? 💧
Question 2
What happens when you heat ice?
Question 3
A solid is different from a liquid because a solid...
Question 4
If you pour water from a bottle into a bowl, what happens? 🪣
Question 5
Which of these is a solid? 🤔
Key Concepts Summary
- ●Solids keep their shape. You can hold them.
- ●Liquids flow and take the shape of their container.
- ●Heating a solid can make it melt into a liquid (ice to water).
- ●Cooling a liquid can make it freeze into a solid (water to ice).
- ●We can sort everyday things into solids and liquids by their properties.