How the world works

4TH UNIT OF INQUIRY: HOW THE WORLD WORKS

What is matter?

• Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space.

• Matter is everywhere.• Anything we can see, touch, taste or smell

is matter.• Everything on our planet and in the

Universe is made of matter.• Even you are made up of matter.

Describing matter• We can identify and describe matter using

its physical properties. • Size (big or small)

• Shape (regular or irregular)

• Colour (blue, red…)• Texture (rough, smooth, soft, hard)

• We can also measure:

• Length (metres) a tape measure

• Volume (litres) a measuring jug

• Mass (grammes and kilogrammes)a scale

The three states of matter

• Solid: solids have a definite shape and volume, if we put them in a container the shape does not change.

• Liquid: liquids have a definite volumen but do not have a definite shape, they take the shape of the container.

• Gas: gases do not have a definite shape and they do not have a definite volumen either. They take the shape of the container they are in and fill it.

Physical changes of matter• Change of state: We can chage the state of wáter

form solid to liquid, from liquid to gas by heating it.

• Change of shape: We can bend, twist, press and stretch plasticie and the plasticine stays in the new shape. We can stretch a rubber band and it will go back to its shape when we let go.

Materials

• Materials are made up of matter.• We use materials to make things.

PlasticWoodGlassPaperMetalFabric

Natural and man-made materials

• Natural materials: we find natural materials in nature. We obtain them form living and non-living things.

• Man-made materials: when we trasnform a natural material into another material, we make man-made materials.

Properties of Materials

Mixtures

• A mixture is something that contains two or more different materials.

• In some mixtures we see the different materials.

• In others is imposible to see the different materials.

Separating materials in a mixture

Energy

• Energy is the ability to do work or produce a change.

• Thermal energy is in anything that is hot.• Light energy• Electrical energy• Sound energy is in things that make noise• Kinetic energy is in things that move

Machines

• A machine is something we use to make work easier.

• We can classify machines as SIMPLE MACHINES and COMPLEX MACHINES.

• When we put simple machines together we make a complex machine.

• All machines use energy.

Simple machines

Simple machines have few or no moving parts.

An incline plane

• Helps moving objects up and down different levels.

A screw

• Helps holding things together.

A pulley

• Helps lifting and lowering heavy objects.

A wedge

• Helps cutting objects

A wheel and axle• Helps moving objects from one place to

another.

A lever• Helps lifting objects

Complex machines• We can put simple machines together to

make complex machines.

• Natural Science ByMe• Ediciones Bilingües S.L. • MACMILLAN EDELVIVES

• Primary 3 Activity Book