SCED 5351 – Module 1 Explore
“Eggs”perts on States of Matter
Engage
Display the solid-liquid-gas Venn diagram. Give each student or small group
of students a different object. Encourage them to think about where the item
belongs on the diagram. Ask students to come forward and explain where their
item belongs and why.
Explore
Exploration Activity Materials (per group)
1. Set of 3 plastic eggs
2. Set of 3 balloons (size based on size of eggs)
3. Sand (enough to fill one egg per set)
4. Water (enough to fill one egg per set)
5. Lab sheet, one copy per student (attached).
In advance: Teachers are to prepare 1 set of plastic eggs for each group of
students. To prepare the eggs, you will need a set of plastic eggs (such as
those used at Easter) and enough balloons to have 1 for each egg. The balloon
size depends on the size of the plastic eggs. A slightly inflated balloon should
just fit inside the egg.
 Inflate the first balloon with air (and tie) so that it fits snug inside
the plastic egg when closed.
 Fill the second balloon with sand (and tie) so that it fits snug inside
the plastic egg when closed.
 Fill the third balloon with water (and tie) so that it fits snug inside
the plastic egg when closed.
 Label the eggs A, B, and C with a permanent marker making sure the
same state in each set is labeled with the same letter.
Explain to students that they will be investigating properties of solids,
liquids, and gases based on how they behave under certain conditions. To
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SCED 5351 – Module 1 Explore
study these properties the students will be experimenting with a set of 3
plastic eggs, each of which contains a solid, liquid, or gas.
Distribute a set of eggs to each group and have the students make
and record observations on the attached lab sheet as they
experiment with the plastic eggs. Be sure to point out that the
different states of matter inside the eggs are what are
responsible for many of the differences they are able to observe.
When all of the groups have finished the experiments (about 10-12
minutes), open the plastic eggs (or you can demonstrate with one
set; see note below), and have the students verify that they were
able to determine which one was a solid, liquid, and gas not only by
the obvious, but also by the tests that were conducted.
Discuss with the students the results, and record on the board, the
overhead, or on a chart. If there is debate over any behavior, re-try the
particular test together and come to a class consensus (some differences
may be subtle).
• Observations on the plastic egg filled with air:
Lightest egg (relative to the other 2)
Wobbles the most while spinning and does not spin as
long or as fast as the solid egg
• Observations on the plastic egg filled with water:
Medium weight (relative to the other 2)
Spins slowly and stops spinning first
• Observations on the plastic egg filled with sand:
Heaviest weight (relative to the other 2)
Spins fastest and longest

Teacher note: Some students may see the purpose of the activity as trying
to guess which egg holds a solid, which egg holds a liquid, and which egg holds
a gas, so make sure they understand that they need to be able to identify
properties of each, and they will be applying what they have learned in this
activity to real eggs in the next activity. Additionally, if you have more than
one science class, you may want to consider skipping the opening of all of the
eggs by the entire class and open only one set as a demonstration as you may
not have time to get all the eggs back together before your next class.
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SCED 5351 – Module 1 Explore
Explain
1.
2.
3.
4.
Explanation Demonstration Materials (per class)
3 CD cases (clear)
1 bag of green split peas (dry)
Clear box tape
Clear pie plate
In advance: Fill one CD case completely full of peas, a second case ¾ full
and a third case 1/3 full with dried peas. Tape the cases shut. These will act
as models for solids, liquids and gases to show the behavior of molecules.
Discuss how particles are packed in a solid, liquid and gas by using one or
both of the following demonstrations:
 One way to show students how the particles would look in a solid, liquid
or gas is by showing the CD cases which contain various amounts of
dried peas created in the exploration demonstration materials section
of this lab. The dried peas in the case represent the particles in a
solid, liquid, and gas. Demonstrate to students how particles behave.
 Another way to show students about the particles of matter in a solid,
liquid, and gas is with an overhead demonstration. Place a clear pie
plate on the overhead. Place approximately ¼ cup of dried peas in the
center of the pie plate. Slightly shake the pie plate. Point out to the
students how the particles are touching and slightly moving. This
demonstrates how the particles behave in a solid. Spread the peas out
somewhat and slightly shake the pie plate again, only this time a little
harder. Relate this to the way particles behave in a liquid. Finally,
spread the dried peas out even more and shake the plate even harder
to demonstrate how particles behave in a gas. Some dried peas
should be allowed to fly out of the pie plate in this demonstration
(evaporation).
Liquid and gas particles have the ability to flow, which causes the gas and liquid
filled eggs to spin differently from the solid filled egg. The water and gas
filled eggs’ contents move independently of their shell. This is easier to
observe with the water filled egg because it is denser than the air filled egg.
This accounts for the wobble and slower spinning of these 2 eggs. The air filled
egg is wobblier than the water filled egg. In the sand filled egg, the contents
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SCED 5351 – Module 1 Explore
act dependently with the shell. Since they act as a single unit, this causes the
egg to spin faster. When the egg is stopped (with the touch test) it remains
stopped while the other 2 eggs want to continue spinning; the water filled egg
more than air filled egg due to their differences in mass.
Why do we study states of matter? Matter can be found anywhere in the
universe. By describing differences in physical properties we can better
understand the world around us. The 3 most common phases of matter are
solid, liquid, and gas.

Solids have:
 Definite shape
 Definite volume
 Tightly packed molecules that vibrate

Liquids have:
 No definite shape
 Definite volume.
 Assumes the shape of the container in which it is placed
 Flow

Gases have:
 No definite shape
 No definite volume
 Gases expand to fill any container
 Flow
 Can be compressed with pressure
Teachers note There are actually 5 phases of matter. The fourth phase is
called plasma and found in stars. The fifth state is called Bose-Einstein
condensates, which is a relatively newly discovered state of matter.
Each state of matter can be changed with the right amount of heat. When
heat is added or removed from matter, it can change into a different
state. These phase changes are PHYSICAL changes. You can return to the
original state through the addition or subtraction of heat.
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SCED 5351 – Module 1 Explore
Elaborate
Encourage students to think about how this activity could have been performed
with real eggs. What would you need to do in order to show solids, liquids and
gases? Encourage students to formulate answers and create this activity with
real eggs (hard boiled = solid, raw = liquid, blown = gas)
Evaluate
**See quiz below***
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SCED 5351 – Module 1 Explore
Solids
Liquids
Gases
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SCED 5351 – Module 1 Explore
”Eggs”perts on States of Matter
Lab Sheet A: Plastic Eggs
Directions: Conduct the following experiments using the 3 plastic eggs given to your
group. DO NOT open your plastic eggs.
Egg A
Egg B
Egg C
State of Matter
Prediction
Observations - Describe
each egg in comparison
to the other eggs in the
set and record what you
observe.
Roll Test - Roll each egg
on the same type of
surface using the same
force and record what
happens.
Spin Test - Spin each
egg and observe it until it
stops. Record what
happens. How do they
differ from each other?
Touch Test - Spin each
egg. While it is spinning,
touch the egg hard
enough with the tip of
your finger to bring it to a
stop. Record what
happens.
Student Created Test
Design a test that will help
you make further
observations on the eggs.
Be sure to record what
you do for the test.
Actual State of Matter
What do you think would happen if the solid egg was filled with Styrofoam rather than
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SCED 5351 – Module 1 Explore
sand?
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SCED 5351 – Module 1 Explore
“Eggs”perts on States of Matter
Real Eggs-Elaboration
Directions: Conduct the following experiments using the 3 real eggs. DO NOT crack
open your eggs!
Egg A
Egg B
Egg C
State of Matter
Prediction
Observations - Describe
each egg in comparison
to the other eggs in the
set and record what you
observe.
Roll Test - Roll each egg
on the same type of
surface using the same
force and record what
happens.
Spin Test - Spin each
egg and observe it until it
stops. Record what
happens. How do they
differ from each other?
Touch Test - Spin each
egg. While it is spinning,
touch the egg hard
enough with the tip of
your finger to bring it to a
stop. Record what
happens.
Student Created Test
Design a test that will help
you make further
observations on the eggs.
Be sure to record what
you do for the test.
Actual State of Matter
Explain why the different eggs behave as they do based on what you have learned
about the properties of solids, liquids, and gases.
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SCED 5351 – Module 1 Explore
“Eggs”perts on States of Matter Quiz
Directions: Identify the following matter as a solid, liquid, or gas.
1. Water at 25°C
7. Oil
2. Ice at -4°C
8. Ozone
3. Iron
9. Milk
4. Air
10. Chalk
5. Juice
11. Steam
6. Wood
12. Nitrogen
13. The state of matter that has no definite size or shape is a
.
14. The state of matter that has a definite size but no definite shape is a
15. The state of matter that has a definite size and shape is a
.
.
16. Molecules are closest together in a
.
17. __________
19. ___________
18. __________
20. In your words, explain how the molecules in a solid, liquid and gas affected the way
your eggs behaved when conducting the egg experiments:
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