Describing Matter Laboratory
Name: __________________________
5th Grade PSI Science
Score: ______________ / 5
Experiment Question:
How is matter identified?
What are the observable properties of matter?
Hypothesis Starters:
1. Your eyes help you learn a lot by looking at things. What are three things you could
learn about an object like a penny by looking at it? Explain your thinking.
2. Which property that was discussed in class is the most dangerous to test? Explain
your thinking.
3. How would you describe a pencil to someone based on its observable properties?
Purpose
In this experiment, you will learn how to identify different types of matter based
upon their properties. To determine the properties of a substance different test will be
performed. Even though different objects may look the same, often they will have
different properties. If you know enough properties of a substance, you may be able to
say what it is. Small differences can tell you a lot when you do not know what substance
it is.
You will be testing the following properties for each substance:
1. Color – What color is the substance?
2. Shininess – Is it reflective or dull?
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Matter and Its Interactions
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Electric Conductivity Solid – Does the substance conduct electricity as a solid?
Hardness – How easy is it to break into pieces?
Magnetism – Does the substance react to a magnet?
Solubility in Water – Does the substance dissolve in water?
Electric Conductivity Solution – Does the substance conduct electricity when
dissolved in water?
Safety
Do not taste any of the substances in this experiment.
Be careful to keep the conductivity tester dry.
Materials
The following materials are needed to complete the testing.
-
goggles
hammer
beaker
conductivity tester
sample substances for
testing
-
apron
magnet
stirring rod
plastic bag
distilled water
Procedure
For each of the samples, record the following data below on the data sheets.
1. Color – What color is the substance? Record the color of the substance. Be
descriptive. If it is more than one color, list all that you observe or the pattern.
2. Shininess – Does it reflect light? Does the object look shiny like a mirror or dull
like chalk dust?
3. Conductivity as a Solid – Does it conduct electricity? Touch both ends of the
conductivity tester to a single piece of the substance. Does the tester light up or
not?
4. Hardness – Does it break into pieces? Tap the object lightly with a hammer.
a. If the object did not break, ask your teacher for permission to hit it with
more force and record your results.
5. Magnetic – Is the substance attracted to a magnet?
a. Place a small amount of the sample in a beaker. (Use the broken bit from
the hardness test). Hold the magnet under the beaker and move it around
slowly. Do the pieces move with the magnet?
6. Solubility in Water – Does the object dissolve? Add some water to the sample in
the beaker you used during the magnetism test and stir.
7. Conductivity in Water – Does it conduct electricity? Test your mixture from the
solubility test with the conductivity tester.
Does the tester light up or not?
8. Repeat steps 1-8 for each sample
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Matter and Its Interactions
Laboratory Questions:
On a sheet of paper or in your laboratory notebook, answer the following questions for
each station you were able to test.
1. Did any samples have the exact same test results for all tests? If yes, which
ones? Why do you think they had the same results?
2. What do the substances that conducted electricity as a solid have in common?
Explain your thinking.
3. What do the substances that dissolved in water have in common? Explain your
thinking.
Conclusion:
On a sheet of paper or in your laboratory notebook, write a paragraph that summarizes
the experiment results and covers the following key points.
1. How could you use the tests and results to describe the differences between
substances?
2. How could you use the tests and results to identify a substance if you were not
told what it is?
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Data Sheet
Station Number:
Name
Substance Name :
Color:
Shiny or Dull:
Conductivity as a Solid:
Hardness:
Magnetism:
Solubility in Water:
Conductivity in Water:
Other Notes:
Station Number:
Substance Name :
Color:
Shiny or Dull:
Conductivity as a Solid:
Hardness:
Magnetism:
Solubility in Water:
Conductivity in Water:
Other Notes:
Station Number:
Substance Name :
Color:
Shiny or Dull:
Conductivity as a Solid:
Hardness:
Magnetism:
Solubility in Water:
Conductivity in Water:
Other Notes:
Station Number:
Substance Name :
Color:
Shiny or Dull:
Conductivity as a Solid:
Hardness:
Magnetism:
Solubility in Water:
Conductivity in Water:
Other Notes:
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Notes to the Teacher:
This could be set up as a station experiment where the students perform each station or
as a demonstration experiment where the teacher performs each for the class as a
whole. It is recommended that the teacher guide the students through the proper way to
test each of the properties.
In a forty-minute class period, most students should be able to successfully test at least
five or six different samples. Having more samples available is ideal because then
students may continue to test until the time is up. Also, students do not all need to start
with the same sample. If there are five groups and fifteen possible samples, consider
having group one start with sample one, group two starting with sample four, group
three starting with sample seven, and so on. If this is the case, save time so that the
students may all contribute their results to the class set of data for comparison
purposes.
This progression is meant to help save as much time as possible by having each test
help prepare the sample for following tests. By starting with the physical observations,
testing conductivity, and then testing hardness, if the sample breaks into pieces, those
pieces should respond more visibly to the magnet and should be easier to dissolve in
water if they will dissolve. The solution can then be used to test for conductivity in water.
It may be helpful to have electrical leads, commonly known as “gator clips” for the
conductivity tests of the solid substances. The leads may make it easier to have a good
contact for purposes of completing the circuit. Keep in mind that regular tap water often
conducts electricity without adding anything to it. As a result, distilled or deionized water
is recommended.
A Conductivity Tester can be made simply with a battery, small lamp and some wires.
The idea is to create a circuit that is open, and a substance or solution becomes part of
the circuit. If the bulb lights, that substance (or solution) conducts electricity.
The bulb and batteries often have holders, which allow wires to be connected. Have
students check the Tester by touching the end wires together, the bulb should light.
Wire
Small light bulb
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Battery
5th Grade PSI
Matter and Its Interactions
One tip for handling the magnet is to have it inside a plastic bag or to have the sample
in the beaker with the magnet underneath. By keeping something between the sample
and the magnet, the sample particles do not get stuck to the magnet itself. If you’ve ever
tried to clean iron filings off from a magnet, you know how frustrating that can be.
Possible samples include but are not limited to:
iron filings
aluminum foil
table salt
sugar
(cubes work well for
hardness)
sulfur lump
corn starch
ball bearings
ground coffee
powdered drink mix
pepper
paper clips
(cut into small pieces if
desired)
chalk
paper
rock candy (any hard candy
that breaks when hit with a
hammer will work)
modeling clay or craft
dough
glitter
copper wire
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baking soda
Matter and Its Interactions