Grade 3 · Science · Unit 3 of 6
Matter & Particles
Everything is made of particles
What your child practises
All matter is made of tiny particles. How particles are arranged in solids, liquids and gases, and how heating and cooling cause melting, freezing, evaporation and condensation.
BC Curriculum learning standard: Matter is made of particles; changes in states of matter with heating and cooling
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
An ice cube sits in the hot sun. Put what happens in order.
- 🧊a solid ice cube
- ☀️the puddle evaporates into the air
- 💧it melts into a puddle
Show answer
a solid ice cube → it melts into a puddle → the puddle evaporates into the air
Hint: Heat melts the solid ice into liquid water. More heat makes the water evaporate into the air.
Question 2
A cold glass of water gets wet on the outside on a hot day. Why?
🥛- the glass is melting
- water vapour in the air cools and turns into drops
- water leaks through the glass
Show answer
water vapour in the air cools and turns into drops
Hint: Water vapour in the air touches the cold glass, cools down and becomes liquid. That's condensation.
Question 3
When a solid is heated and turns into a liquid, it is called…
🍦- melting
- condensing
- freezing
Show answer
melting
Hint: Heat makes a solid melt. Think of an ice cube turning into water.
Question 4
Solid, liquid or gas? Tap an item, then tap its basket.
Sort into: 🧱 solid · 💧 liquid · 💨 gas
- 🍯honey
- 🧃juice
- 🧊ice cube
- 🪨rock
- 🌬️the air we breathe
- 🥤bubbles in fizzy water
Show answer
🧱 solid: ice cube, rock · 💧 liquid: honey, juice · 💨 gas: the air we breathe, bubbles in fizzy water
Hint: A solid keeps its shape. A liquid flows and takes the shape of its container. A gas spreads out to fill any space.
Question 5
Which one keeps its own shape?
- 🪵a wooden block
- 🥛milk
- 🌬️air
Show answer
🪵 a wooden block
Hint: Solids keep their shape. Liquids and gases change shape to fit their container.
Question 6
You put juice in the freezer. What change happens?
🧃- it starts to boil
- it turns into a gas
- it freezes into a solid
Show answer
it freezes into a solid
Hint: A freezer takes heat away. The liquid juice cools down and freezes solid.