Science · Stage 5

Particles on the Move

Zoom in past what your eyes can see — everything is built from tiny particles, and how they sit and move explains solids, liquids, gases and every change between them!

✦ Science📘 Stage 5 · S5⏱ ~12 min🧒 Ages 9–10★ Free to start

I can use a simple particle idea to explain solids, liquids, gases and state changes.

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Kavi Shrinks Down to See the Particles

Kavi puts on tiny goggles 🔬 and shrinks down small enough to peek inside an ice cube — the particles are packed close together, jiggling in place but never leaving their spot! "If I warmed them up, they would break free and start to slide," says Kavi. "Come see how one simple idea — tiny moving particles — explains solids, liquids, gases, and every change in between!"

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What your child will learn

1Everything is made of particlesZoom in on any material and you find tiny particles, far too small to see. What makes a solid, a liquid or a gas is how the particles are arranged and how much they move. Tap each one.

2Read the particle pictureEach card describes how the particles are arranged and moving. Use the particle idea to decide the state.

3Heat it or cool it?Heating gives particles more energy; cooling takes energy away. Predict what the particles do — then tap to check. Tap Next test for more.

4The same particles, changing stateWatch one substance travel through every state as it heats up and cools down. Tap each step.

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A peek inside

Kavi zooms in on a mystery material. The particles are packed closely together in a fixed pattern and only vibrate on the spot. Which state is it?

Packed close + a fixed pattern + only vibrating in place = the particle picture of a solid. The particles cannot move around, so it keeps its shape.

Try this at home: In a solid, how are the particles arranged and how do they move?

Ready to play and learn?

Start the free interactive lesson, or print the handout for screen-free play.

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Part of Science · Stage 5 · S5 on KAVI Academy — a secular, whole-child learning platform for ages 5–12.