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5th grade · Science · Unit 3 of 12

Changes of State

Melting, freezing and more

What your child practices

Melting, freezing, evaporation and condensation at home and outdoors, and how matter absorbs or releases thermal energy when it changes state.

New York State Learning Standards learning standard: 5-PS1-1; 5-PS1-2 · heating and cooling change the state of matter, not the amount

How we explain it

Children can open this short lesson before they practice.

  1. Melting and evaporating happen when matter absorbs thermal energy.
  2. Freezing and condensing happen when matter loses thermal energy.
  3. Evaporation: liquid to gas. Condensation: gas to liquid.
  4. These are physical changes. They happen to many materials, not just water.

Example: A cold window fogs up in a warm kitchen. What happened to the water vapor? The vapor touched the cold glass. It lost thermal energy and turned into liquid drops. Answer: it condensed

Changes of State in New York

In the New York State Learning Standards, this is unit 3 of 12 in 5th grade Science, after Solid, Liquid, Gas and before Physical or Chemical?.

Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.

Source: New York State Education Department (NYSED)

Sample questions

A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.

  1. Question 1

    A puddle freezes on a cold night. What happens to the thermal energy of the water?

    • The water gains mass
    • The water absorbs thermal energy
    • The water releases thermal energy

  2. Question 2

    Butter softens and melts in a hot frying pan. What is happening to its particles?

    • They stop moving
    • They are destroyed
    • They gain energy and move more freely

  3. Question 3

    On a cold morning, grass has tiny drops of water on it. What change of state made them?

    • Condensation of water vapor in the air
    • Melting of the grass
    • Freezing of the air

  4. Question 4

    Put these in order from LEAST thermal energy to MOST.

    • 💧Liquid water
    • ♨️Water vapor (gas)
    • 🧊Ice (solid water)

  5. Question 5

    A chocolate bar melts in a warm pocket. What does the chocolate do?

    • Loses all its mass
    • Absorbs thermal energy
    • Releases thermal energy

  6. Question 6

    Which of these is a physical change of state that is NOT water?

    • Wax melting near a candle flame
    • Bread being toasted
    • A match burning

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