Grades 3–5 · NGSS PS1.A · Physical Science

🧊 States of Matter

Drag the temperature slider to heat or cool matter. Watch the particles change how they move — from frozen solid to flying gas!

20°C
💧 Liquid
❄ -50°C Frozen20°C Room🔥 150°C Steam
🧊 Solid
💧 Liquid
💨 Gas
💧 Liquid
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🔄 What Do We Call State Changes?
Melting
Solid → Liquid (heating)
Freezing
Liquid → Solid (cooling)
Evaporation
Liquid → Gas (heating)
Condensation
Gas → Liquid (cooling)
Sublimation
Solid → Gas directly
Deposition
Gas → Solid directly

Particles and Energy

All matter is made of tiny particles (atoms or molecules). The state of matter depends on how fast these particles move — which depends on temperature (heat energy).

In a solid, particles vibrate in place. In a liquid, they slide past each other. In a gas, they zoom around freely, spreading out to fill any container.