Resource 4: Card sort activity

 Teacher resource for planning or adapting to use with pupils

Set of statements about solids, liquids and gases

1. Particles are held together by a strong force.2. Particles are moving freely in all directions.3. Particles are slipping past each other.
4. Particles are not in an orderly structure, but are held very close together. 5. Particles keep to a particular place in an orderly structure.6. The particles are spread out. Each particle moves in a straight line until it collides with another particle.
7. Particles can only vibrate.8. Particles are constantly colliding with each other and changing position. 9. Particles are in constant, rapid movement.
10. Heating the substance makes the particles move around faster and collide more often.11. Heating the substance makes the particles vibrate more vigorously.12. Heating the substance makes the particles move around faster.
13. Collisions make particles change speed and direction.14. Occasionally, one particle on the edge of a group will be knocked so hard it escapes from the group.15. Some particles are moving much more slowly than most, some are moving much more quickly.

Answers for teachers

Solid: 1, 5, 7, 11

Liquid: 3, 4, 8, 10, 14, 15

Gas: 2, 6, 9, 12, 13, 15

Resource 3: Background information on states of matter

Resource 5: Students’ writing