SCI 1

Teaching Science in the Elementary Grades

Zeta M. Cabili
Faculty, College of Education

2 Chemistry (Matter)
Changes that Materials Undergo
Overview
We must live in harmony with the things around us, our environment. We
have to understand our environment in order to survive. Our immediate surroundings
provide us with our basic needs like food, water, clothing, shelter, and medicine. And
as our population grow bigger, our needs also increase. We have to get more from
our environment at a faster rate to meet these needs. Such situation has brought
many changes in the environment.
“Only change is permanent on Earth!” as we always would hear from our
elders. Materials everywhere change. They are capable of changing under certain
conditions. Changes can occur due to varying of temperature, applying force mixing
materials, presence or lack of oxygen and applying heat.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this module, you should be able to:
1. describe changes in the materials due to the effect of temperature such
as solid to liquid; liquid to solid; liquid to gas; and solid to gas;
2. describe changes in solid materials when bent, pressed, hammered, or
cut;
3. describe changes in properties of materials when exposed to certain
conditions such as temperature or when mixed with other materials;
4. identify changes in materials whether useful or harmful to one’s
environment;
5. investigate and describe the changes that happen in materials under
the following conditions: (1) presence of oxygen and (2) application of
heat;
6. develop awareness of what oxygen can do to us;
7. describe ways of separating mixtures;
8. use appropriate materials to separate components of mixtures.
Introduction
When we cut pieces of paper, mold clay into pots, or shape sheets of
materials into useful objects, change in materials takes place. Common changes of
things around us like decaying of food, rusting of nails and changing of liquid water
to rice or water vapor affects us in many ways.

30
Lesson 1: Changes that Materials Undergo (Grade 3)
A. Changes in Matter Due to Changes in Temperature
Matter exists as solid, liquid, or gas. The change in state can be brought
about by the effect of heat or a change in temperature. The changes could be
explained using the particle model.

Figure 1. Chart on the Change of State

The particle model shows that solid, liquid and gas are made up of small
particles. These particles are always moving. The behavior of these particles differs
in the 3 states and hence can be used to explain what happens in changes in state.
Solid
The particles in a solid are very close to each other. There is a very strong
force that holds these particles together. Hence, their movements are limited. The
particles are vibrating but not spreading apart. This explains why solid has a rigid
and compact appearance.
Liquid
The particles in a liquid are arranged far apart from each other. The force
holding them is not as strong as that in solid. Thus, the particles can glide or slide
around one other and tend to occupy the bottom of the container.
Gas
Gas particles lie very far from each other. The force holding them is very
weak. This is the reason why the particles of gas move faster.

31
 Figure 2. The arrangement of particles in Liquid, Solid and Gas

 Changes in Matter
A. From Solid to Liquid
Heat energy is always present when matter changes state. As
temperature increases as observed when heat from the hot water is added to
solid like the ice candy and wax, the particles in these solid materials take in
the heat energy. They change it into energy of motion and begin to move and
vibrate so fast. As the particles in the solid speed up, consequently they also
move farther apart. If the particles gained enough energy, they will have
enough room to slide past each other. They break free from their fixed
positions. Consequently, the solid matters (ice candy and wax) begin to melt.
Melting is the change of state from solid to a liquid.
B. From Liquid to Gas
Increasing the temperature further of a liquid state like water which
resulted from melting, will cause the water particles to move faster and more
rapidly farther apart. This allows the particles to escape. The liquid water
begins to change to a gas – called water vapor. This can continue as long as
heat is added or the temperature increases, and the liquid will continue to
boil. Bubbles of water vapor will keep forming and escaping until all the liquid
changes to gas. Boiling is the rapid change of state from a liquid to a gas. It
occurs at or above the boiling temperature. Vaporization takes place when
the particles in a liquid gain enough energy to move independently, forming a
gas. Evaporation usually occurs on the surface of the liquid.
The situation can be observed when water in a covered drinking glass
which is allowed to stay undisturbed overnight decreases its volume. This
indicates that some of the water particles evaporated and changed to water
vapor. Droplets of water can also be seen along the side of the closed
drinking glass. These water droplets came from the water vapor or steam that

32
 changed into liquid. When water vapor comes in contact with a cool surface,
it releases heat energy and the particles that make up the gas begin to slow
down and move closer together. The gas changes again to a liquid.
Condensation is the change of state from a gas to liquid.
C. From Liquid to Solid
= Suppose more energy or heat is taken away from liquid like when the
liquid ice candy or just plain water is placed in the freezer where the
temperature is maybe 0°C or even lower, the particles in the liquid will slow
down. They will begin to move closer to each other. If the particles lose
enough energy the ice candy or the water begins to freeze. The change of
state from the liquid to a solid is freezing.
D. From Solid to Gas
In some cases, solid particles present in solid state like naphthalene
balls are directly converted to gaseous state. This is only possible when the
surface particles of a solid gain enough energy that they form a gas. During
sublimation, particles of a solid do not pass through the liquid state as they
form a gas. As a solid material sublimates into a gas, the freedom of motion
of its particles increases. In the case of naphthalene balls, the material solid
disappears, however, its odor can be smelled in the air.
Activity 1. Part A. Look closely to the pictures below. Identify the resulting state in
each situation and explain your answer on the space provided below each picture.
1. Ice cream in the table - Liquid, the ice cream will liquify or melt due to changing
state of matter
2. Bottled water in refrigerator- the bottle may freeze or be cold, due to the low
temperature inside the refrigerator.
3. Boiling water in the kettle – The water in the kettle may be emptied out after long
time of boiling, because the water will evaporate and turns into gaseous form.
4. Mothballs (Naphthalene) inside the cabinet - the mothballs will disappear and will
turn into gas. Because naphthalene such as mothballs is solid that undergo
sublimation process which these particles do not go as liquid to turn into a form of
gas. Mothballs will slowly eradicate and be a form of gas in which we can detect it by
its smell.
5. Heavy clouds in the sky -

Part B. Answer this question:

How does knowledge of change of state of matter help you in your everyday
life?
My daily actions benefit from my capacity to comprehend how matter may
change states since it gives me a hint or just enough knowledge about what is
going on around me. For instance, a solid ice cube that later melts into a liquid

33
 (melting). If I hadn't been aware of the shift in the issue's state, I would have
been unable to comprehend what was happening with the ice.
In other words, it does help us understand the world around us to be
conscious of the changing character of matter.

Lesson 2: Changes that Materials Undergo: Useful and Harmful (Grade 4)

Materials can be bent, pressed, hammered and cut. Bending, pressing,
hammering and cutting do not change the state of matter. Only the form, size and
shape can be altered.

Welding of iron Furniture making

Furniture making is one source of income for people. Wood, bamboo, rattan,
wire and many more could be used as raw materials. Take bamboo chair making.
The long pole is cut into desired dimension by a carpenter. The bamboo pieces are
cleaned, and arranged to make a chair. Nails are hammered in several places to
make the chair sturdy. Varnish or shellac is applied to the surface to make the chair
attractive. The bamboo chair is made of the same bamboo that was cut as a pole
with additional nail and varnish.
Materials change when exposed to different temperatures. Our daily life is
made easy because of the changes that matter undergoes. For example, some of
you prefer to eat radish prepared with vinegar, sliced onions, and ripe tomatoes. The
taste of the dish is enhanced when you mix all the ingredients. Fried fish for
breakfast has a different taste. Similarly, boiled egg has a different appearance,
texture and taste from scrambled egg. These changes are useful to our environment
and to us. Other useful products are fertilizer, vitamins, food-milk products, cleansing
agents, lotion, shampoo, medicines and many more. Remember that raw materials

34
are plenty in our environment that could be turned into useful products that make our
life easy and comfortable.
Water when it undergoes change from one state to another is useful to life on
earth. We use water for drinking, washing clothes, and for many household,
industrial or agricultural uses. Aquatic forms of life also need water as their habitat.
However, when monsoon rains come in June to December, many provinces in Luzon
remain flooded. This is a negative effect of heavy rainfall.
Materials can also change resulting in the formation of one or more new
materials or different substance. If physical change involves only a change in state,
size, shape or form, a chemical change involves a change in the composition of
matter. Most chemical changes are not reversible, except through another chemical
reaction. For example, the case of mixing baking soda and vinegar caused the
balloon to blow up. The reaction between the two materials resulted to the formation
of water and gas as indicated by the bubbles. The gas formed is carbon dioxide
which could not escape but into the balloon causing it to be inflated.
There are also changes of matter that are harmful. Rusting of iron, leaching
from decomposing matter, and domestic wastes thrown into bodies of water
releasing odor are harmful. Fossils fuels converted to petroleum products, kerosene,
diesel oil and gasoline enable us to travel fast. However, such conversion of fuel to
energy produce smoke or exhaust from motor that are detrimental to our health.
It is important to be careful in mixing substances like those that may cause
explosion or fire. We need to be aware too and cautiously read products labels. We
need to take note of precautionary measures in handling products. Technology and
industry have made new products that are useful and harmful both.

Activity 2. Part A.
1. A farmer says that he makes charcoal for daily needs. What changes have
occurred from the source of charcoal until it reached a kitchen? Describe the
changes that are useful and harmful in the process of charcoal making. Make
a poster of the steps involved.
2. Water undergoes evaporation, condensation and freezing. How important are
these processes to life on earth? Make a diagram of the water cycle on a
piece of cartolina.

Part B. Essay
1. When do we consider a change of material as beneficial? Describe five
examples.
2. Why should you be selective in using materials from our environment?

Part C. Given a list of materials in our surroundings, pick out the products due to (a)
physical (b) chemical change. Make two columns in your answer sheet.

35
oven toaster mirror cement wall Vitamin cubes
wooden boxes bamboo bed yogurt broomstick
plastic pails abaca slipper dried squid coconut husk

Alternate Response. Write C when the statement is correct and W when it is wrong.
1. Watermelon sliced and served fresh on your dining table has undergone
physical change.
2. A chicken adobo with pineapple slices has undergone chemical change.
3. Chlorine is used to disinfect swimming pool water. The change is beneficial.
4. Plants grow best when the soil is rich in organic substances. This occurs
because decomposers provide nutrients in the soil.
5. Gasoline as product can be both useful and harmful.
Give short answers to the following:
1. Why do we boil drinking water when the source is shallow well?
2. Why are the changes in the states of water considered physical changes?

Lesson 3: Changes in Matter Due to the Presence of Oxygen and Application

of Heat (Grade 5)
1. Presence of Oxygen
 Chemical change is a change in matter that results in the
formation of one or more new substances. The new material has a
different composition when compared with the original material.
Burning can transform the paper into ashes and water entirely
different from the original material.
 Oxygen is a part of the air that surrounds us. It has effects on
different materials. The presence of oxygen in the air can cause
chemical change on materials.
 Rusting of iron is another chemical change brought about by
the action of oxygen from the air on the iron metal.
 Some materials can also change even under the condition of
lack of oxygen.
2. Application of Heat
 Heat, as a form of energy plays an important role in chemical
changes or reactions. Some reactions need heat to start. For
example, when cooking food, the firewood requires a match and
kindling to get fire to start. Other chemical reactions utilize heat or
produce it depending on the materials or chemicals involved.
 There are other proofs that a chemical change has taken place.
These include (a) production of heat and light; (b) production of
gas; and (c) change in color.

36
Activity 3. Part A. Label the following as physical or chemical change. Give your
reason for each response.
1. The rusting of a nail
2. The ripening of guava
3. The fermentation of coconut juice
4. The setting of a jelly
5. The chopping of wood

Part B. What chemical changes due to the presence of oxygen and heat are
important in your daily life?
Ash, smoke, and other gases are produced during the oxidation of a substance in the presence of
heat and oxygen from the environment. As the foundation of our meals and prepared foods, it plays
a significant role in our everyday life. This is a contributing factor in the generation of energy, which
powers the majority of houses and automobiles.

Lesson 4: Separating Mixtures (Grade 6)

There are different ways of separating the components of mixtures:
1. Manual separation is done to mixtures which components differ in
size. Pebbles can be separated manually from sugar with the use of
fingers or tweezers. But this is very tiresome and will take a longer
time. A fine mesh screen can also be used to separate sugar from the
pebbles.
2. Magnetic separation is a process that uses magnet to separate the
magnetic component from the nonmagnetic one. Iron fillings are
magnetic, thus can be used to separate them from the nonmagnetic
sand.
3. Filtration is a process that can separate suspended particles from the
liquid. Water can be separated from the starch to some extent using
filtration. An ultrafilter can totally separate components of colloidal
mixture.
4. Decantation is a process of separating a mixture of liquids that differ
in density. The less dense liquid usually stays on top. The denser
liquid such as water settles at the bottom. In this mixture, oil can be
gently poured out of the glass and retain water. A stirring rod can be
used to guide the less dense liquid to the other container.
5. Evaporation process is used to separate a solute that has been
dissolved in water. A small amount of mixture of salt and water can be
heated, and when water evaporates, salt remains on the evaporating
dish.
6. Freezing or cooling is a process of separating mixture used for
mixtures composed of two liquid components of different freezing
points. In the mixture of oil and water, oil has the lower freezing point

37
 thus, solidifies first. It is then separated easily from the water
component that is still in liquid state.

Activity 4. Answer the following questions:

1. What do you think is an efficient way of separating solid garbage components
of school wastes?
2. You are out in the farm and the only water available to use is in the muddy
waterhole. You have an empty bottle and a cup. How would you remove the
dirt from the muddy water so that you can use the water?

SUMMARY

In this module, you have learned that there are changes that can occur in
materials. Some liquid materials can be changed into solid and several can even
return back to liquid. There are liquid and solid materials which can be change to
gases. Gases can be changed too to liquids. Solids can be changed also to gases
without even passing the liquid state.
You have also experienced doing on inquiry approach through investigation.
This is another way of introducing the idea of how matter transforms in state due to
temperature change.
You have learned that changes that materials have useful and harmful effects.
The presence of oxygen also changes that tends rusting of iron is one.
Finally, this module explained the different ways of separating the
components of mixture.

SUGGESTED READINGS

Internet
www.natgeo.org: The Amazing Journey of Matter

REFERENCES/SOURCES

Bilbao, P. et. al. (2019). Teaching science elementary grades. Quezon City: Lorimar
Publsiing Co., Inc.
DepEd K to 12 Curriculum Guide Science (2013)

38