ShareChanging Matter - Measuring Phase Changes
This activity is designed to help you identify the phases of matter. You will experiment with and record measurements to determine the relationship between the water in all three phases of matter and temperature. If you do this successfully, you will witness the actual change of matter from one phase into another phase. Using a thermometer, you can measure the energy added.
Materials:
- Ice cubes
- Glass beaker
- Thermometer
- Hot plate
- Hot pad
- Watch, clock, or stopwatch with second hand
- Graph paper
Procedure:
- Fill the beaker about 50% full of ice cubes.
- Carefully place the thermometer into the beaker with
ice and take the temperature after one minute.
- Note: The thermometer should not be allowed to touch the bottom of the beaker. It should be held about center of the beaker from this point until the end of the experiment.
- Record the measurement
- Plug in the hot plate and turn until it is between midway and high on the dial.
- Immediately place the beaker with ice cubes onto the hot plate.
- Observe the temperature as the heat energy melts the ice cubes.
- Record the measurements every minute.
- When all the ice is melted, read and record the temperature. Remember to not let the bottom of the thermometer touch the bottom of the beaker or you will not get a real accurate temperature reading.
- Observe as the water continues to heat and when steam just begins to appear.
- Continue to observe until you have recorded four minutes of temperature after the water is boiling.
- Look carefully at your data.
- Record your data on the graph paper as a line graph.
Safety concerns: 
Be
sure to follow all fire, glassware, electrical, and chemical safety rules that are specified by your teacher in all general laboratory
experiences. As with all science lab activities, the most important safety
rule is to follow all teacher directions.
Remember:
- DO NOT allow the thermometer to touch the bottom of the beaker.
- Protect your hands and eyes from steam from the boiling water.
Data:
Record your results in a table similar to the one below.
| Time (minutes) | Temperature | Observations (e.g. boiling) |
Graph:
Use the data from your experiment to create a line graph. Make sure to
record your data accuratly so your graph will reflect the actual phase
change and temperature relationship for water!
Analysis:
- How quickly did the temperature increase after you placed the beaker on the hot plate?
- What was the temperature change like after all the ice melted?
- By how many degrees did the temperature increase after the water began boiling?
