St Swithun's Church of England Primary Academy
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Photo gallery Y3&4
During the Autumn term in Year 3/4 we are going to be investigating solids, liquids and gases. Looking specifically at how we decide which state of matter an object is and how we can identify them in the world around us.
We will also be experimenting with how we can create solids, liquids and gases with household objects and explain the process of this.
Non-Newtonian Fluid
We have experimented today, by mixing cornflour and water to create a mixture. We then tested this mixture, using its properties to decide if this was a Solid or a Liquid.
In the end we decided this mixture had the properties of both, Mrs Ogden then told us that this is called a Non-Newtonian Fluid. It is named this because it changes state depending on the force applied. It looks like a liquid until you press on it or dig into it. This is because cornstarch does not dissolve in water. So if you ball it in your hands, it forces the water molecules inside and gets hard.
In the end we decided this mixture had the properties of both, Mrs Ogden then told us that this is called a Non-Newtonian Fluid. It is named this because it changes state depending on the force applied. It looks like a liquid until you press on it or dig into it. This is because cornstarch does not dissolve in water. So if you ball it in your hands, it forces the water molecules inside and gets hard.
Concept Cartoons
Today we were given a cartoon of three children deciding what would happen if they put a coat on a snowman. We discussed as a class what we thought would happen, but we couldn't decide. To begin with most of us predicted that putting a coat on the snowman would melt it.
So we chose to experiment.
We each had two ice cubes and a range of materials to make a coat out of; bubble wrap, tissues, cotton wool. We wrapped one of our ice cubes in a coat and one without and placed them both under separate cups. We then left these ice cubes for two hours.
We came back to discover our one ice cube in the coat was still a similar size as it was when we wrapped it and the one without a coat had melted.
We were all very shocked by this as our coats keep us warm, therefore we believed that our ice cube would melt. However, we discussed this together and realised that our coats only keep us warm because they keep our body heat in. Now ice cubes do not have any heat, they are cold, so the coat kept the ice cube colder for longer.
We had a fantastic time, challenging our understanding of concepts!
So we chose to experiment.
We each had two ice cubes and a range of materials to make a coat out of; bubble wrap, tissues, cotton wool. We wrapped one of our ice cubes in a coat and one without and placed them both under separate cups. We then left these ice cubes for two hours.
We came back to discover our one ice cube in the coat was still a similar size as it was when we wrapped it and the one without a coat had melted.
We were all very shocked by this as our coats keep us warm, therefore we believed that our ice cube would melt. However, we discussed this together and realised that our coats only keep us warm because they keep our body heat in. Now ice cubes do not have any heat, they are cold, so the coat kept the ice cube colder for longer.
We had a fantastic time, challenging our understanding of concepts!
