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Properties of Liquids: Science Investigation at Green
Bay High School September 2009.
The big question: Why do liquids behave the way they
do?
(1)Liquids are made up of tiny particles. Here are some
clues:
Volume of alcohol = ml
Volume of water = ml
Total volume after mixing = ml
When alcohol and water are mixed the total volume…….
……………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………
…........................................................................................
Volume of peas = ml
Volume of sand = ml
Total volume after mixing = ml
When peas and sand are mixed the total volume………..
…………………………………………………………...
…………………………………………………………...
……………………………………………………………

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Fill in the spaces with missing words.
Liquids can be poured from one container to another
just like peas.
When………. and sand are mixed the particles……… of
are able to fill up the spaces between the pea particles.
Liquids like…………… and water are made up of
particles we call…………... When alcohol and water are
mixed the…………. volume is less than the…………..
volumes. Scientists call this the particle nature of matter.
All matter is made up of small particles.
Words to use: alcohol, molecules, combined, peas,
starting, sand.

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(2)What happens when liquids are heated?
Measure the temperature of water in a jug. Measure its
temperature every minute after it is switched on until the
water boils. Measure the temperature for another 2
minutes while it is boiling. (you will need to keep
flicking the switch on) record your results
Time from switching on Temperature of water oC
(minutes)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Plot your results on a graph on the next page.

Graph of water temperature against time
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Temp
oC
Time minutes

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Put the best word from the list in the spaces.
Water…………… are held together by weak forces
when it is a liquid.
As the water heats up the water molecules in the liquid
move around faster. The element in the jug supplies heat
energy and the temperature rises. The………….. the
temperature of the water the…………. the energy of the
molecules and the faster they move.
At the boiling point of water the molecules have picked
up enough………. to break free of each other and turn
into steam. The……………. of water does not rise any
further. This is known as the………….. point. The
boiling point of water is 100oC.
Word list.
Temperature, boiling, molecules, higher, energy, greater

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(3) What happens when liquids don’t mix?
Sometimes liquids don’t mix with each other and
separate out into two layers.
Oils don’t mix with water
The molecules of water and oil are just too different to
mix with each other.
What effect does soap have on oil and water? Try the
experiment below but don’t do part F.

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Good scientists always keep careful notes of any
observations they make during their experiments. Neatly
record what you see on the table on the next page.

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Tube number List the chemicals What did you see
in the tube happen
1
2
3
4

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Soap breaks up oil and turns it into lots of small droplets
that can mix with water.
Scientists call a mixture like this an emulsion. Examples
of emulsions are milk, paint and moisturising cream.
Making moisturising cream, an emulsion