S3.5.1 For the adult
The particle model
Water pours and air spreads, but a stone stays put. What is different inside them?
What this chapter teaches
Everything is made of particles too small to see. In a solid they are held in place and vibrate. In a liquid they slide. In a gas they are far apart and fly about.
Three questions to ask
There is no one right wording. Listen for the idea.
- Why can you pour water but not a stone?
- What do you think is between the particles of a gas?
- Do the particles of a stone ever stand still? How could you tell?
After the chapter, the learner can
- Draw the particles in a solid, a liquid and a gas
- Use the particle model to explain why liquids flow and gases spread
What they copy into their notebook
All things are made of tiny particles. In a solid they touch and vibrate in place. In a liquid they touch and slide past each other. In a gas they are far apart and fly about.