8 Science
Changing States of Water
Aim
To investigate the effect of heat on the three states of water.
Materials


Time
(min)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8



Beaker
Ice
Temp oC
Time
(min)
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Retort stand/boss head/clamp
Thermometer
Stop watch
Temp oC Time
(min)
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
Temp oC Time
(min)
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
Temp oC
Method
1. Set up your equipment as demonstrated by your teacher. You can share a hotplate
with another group.
2. Add ice to the beaker with some water.
3. Place the thermometer in the ice (not touching the bottom) and wait until the
alcohol stops moving (hopefully at about 0 oC).
4. Turn on the hot plate and take a reading every minute.
In your books
Record your observations of the ice water as it is heated. Does the temperature increase
much whilst the ice is melting?
What happens to the rate of temperature increase after the ice has melted?
At what temperature did the water start boiling? What happened to the rate of
temperature increase as the water boiled?
Explain why the temperature stopped increasing after the water was boiling vigorously.
Draw, on graph paper a set of results.
Describe what happens to water as it is heated, using your graph.
Explain what is happening to water at key points on your graph.