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SYMMETRY OF MATTER
Lesson 2 - Page 5

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LESSON 2.  What is Matter? (Lab) 

MATERIALS:  baking soda, bromothymol blue, cornstarch, eyedropper, glycerin, graduated cylinder (10 ml), Plaster of Paris, plastic cup, straw, vinegar, water

  1.  What is matter?

     

  2. How many forms of matter are there known today?


    Name them.
     
     

  3.  Matter has different properties in which we can describe them.  Can you name a few?  

     

DIRECTIONS: 
There are six stations marked 1-6.  Follow the directions below with your partners and record what occurs.  As you are doing the task think about what property of matter you may be investigating.  We will discuss this as a group to find out just why you are exploring.

Station 1. 
Cornstarch and water.  Mix about 3 ml in plastic cup.  Slowly add about 3-4 ml water...but be careful...mix as you go along until the consistency is weird.

Station 2. 
Baking soda and vinegar.   Place 1 ml in plastic cup.  First drop 10 drops of vinegar.  Observe what happens.  Smell the gas that is emitted.  Drop another 10 drops.  What happens.  Can you stir up the reaction?

Station 3. 
Put in 5 ml of water in a plastic cup or tube.  Put one drop of Bromothymol blue.  Mix with the dropper.  Blow into the liquid with a straw.  What happens? 

Station 4. 
Put 3 ml of Plaster of Paris in cup.  Slowly add drops of water and mix until it is not wet, but not dry.  What happens as it dries?   You may want to hold it for a few minutes.

Station 5. 
Put in 5 ml of water in 3 different plastic cups.  Put 1 drop of glycerin in the cup, then in another cup put 3 drops, and then 5 drops.  Which one makes the best bubbles?  Test with a straw by putting some of the liquid in the straw and then blow into the straw.

Station 6. 
Put about 1 ml of borax on a piece of wax paper.  Then slowly mix about 7 ml (about 1 teaspoon) of glue into the mixture.  What happens?

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