STATES OF MATTER – THERMAL ENERGY
Virtual Lab
OBJECTIVE
 I can explain how thermal energy impacts the changes in the states of matter.
 I can organize, create, & interpret data in tables, charts, diagrams and graphs.
PURPOSE
Matter consists of atoms and molecules and all substances consist of matter. Changing the
state of a substance requires energy. Adding or removing thermal energy from a substance causes a
change of state. Energy affects the attraction between the atom or molecules and their rate of
movement. A substance’s temperature determines whether it occurs in a solid, liquid or gas state.
A substance changes from a solid to a liquid at its melting point, from a liquid to a gas at its
boiling point, and from a liquid to a solid at its freezing point. A different amount of energy is needed to
change the state of different substances. For example, it takes more energy to melt a solid metal into a
liquid than to melt an ice cube into water.
In this virtual lab you will examine how energy affects the state, the atomic or molecular activity,
and the temperature of a substance.
QUESTION
How does thermal energy affect the state of a substance?
PROCEDURE
1. Go to the website below. Scroll down the page to Chapter 4: States of Matter and click on the
Virtual Labs link. Double click on the virtual lab, ‘How does thermal energy affect the state of a
substance?”.
http://glencoe.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/007877846x/sitemap.html
2. Click the Video button. Then click Play on the video controller. Watch the video about melting and
boiling points of substances.
3. Select the Water, Mercury, or Iron button. The selected substance appears in its solid form inside
the Energy box. The Energy box is able to add thermal energy to the substance or remove it from
the substance at a constant rate. Inside the Energy box, a sensor senses the temperature of the
substance.
4. Predict what will happen to the state of the substance, the atom activity and the shape of the
graph when thermal energy is ADDED.
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5. Click the Heat button on the Energy box. Observe what happens to the state of the substance, the
atom activity, and the temperature of the substance. Draw what the atoms look like in the circle
below.
6. Click the Graph button to see a printout of a temperature versus time graph that shows what
happened when heat was added to the substance. What is happening to the line? What is the line
shape?
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7. Click the Heat button on the energy box. Observe what happens to the state of the substance, the
atom activity, and the temperature of the substance as MORE heat is added. Draw what the
atoms look like in the circle below.
8. Describe what happens to the liquid substance in the Energy box as more heat is added. Describe
the shape of the graph.
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9. Click the Graph button to see a printout of a temperature versus time graph that shows what
happened when heat was added to the substance.
a. After observing heat being added to the substance, was your predication correct or incorrect?
Explain.
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b. Make a prediction of what you think will happen to the state of the substance, the atom activity,
and the shape of the graph when thermal energy is REMOVED from the substance.
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10. Click on the Cool button on the Energy box. Observe what happens to the state of the substance,
the atom activity of the substance, and the temperature of the substance. Draw what the atoms
look like in the circle below.
11. Click the Graph button to see a printout of a temperature versus time graph that shows what
happened when heat was removed from the substance.
a. After observing heat being removed from the substance, was your prediction correct or incorrect?
Explain.
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b. What do the horizontal portions of the graph represent? When heat is added to or removed from
the substance and the temperature remains the same, when is the thermal energy going? Why?
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12. Determine the approximate melting, boiling and freezing points of the substance by reading the
graph. Record this data in the table.
Substance
Melting Point (C)
Boiling Point (C)
Freezing Point (C)
Iron
Mercury
Water
13. Repeat this activity for the remaining two substances. How does the state of the substance, atom
activity, and graphs compare for Mercury and Water?
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