Melting point experiment

Rock is solid, water is liquid, and air is gas - but they do not have to be. Every substance in the world is a solid, liquid, or a gas, yet, given the right conditions, each can change into any of these "states of matter": solid, liquid, or gas. Even rock melts to liquid lava in the heat of a volcano; water freezes solid on very cold nights. It all has to do with the tiny particles - atoms and molecule - that make up every substance. In a slid, the particles are tightly knit together, like the bricks in a wall. So solids are fairly rigid and tend to keep their shape. You can pick up many solids but not water. When the solid gets hot, however, the bonds between the particles begin to break up and solid the melts to a liquid.

Besides heat, pressure can also melt solid, as this simple experiment shows. Hang a weighted wire over an ice cube. The wire cuts slowly through the cube as the pressure melt the ice.

Melting Point Experiment

Measure the melting point of different substances - the temperature at which a solid turns to a liquid. (Adult supervision is advised)

Things you will need:

Heater

Thermometer

Test tube

Heatproof jug or pan

Test solid (butter, chocolate, Jello, wax, etc)

How to do it:

Hold a test tube containing a small quantity of the test solid. Heat the water slowly in the jug or pan. Keep shaking the tube gently. As soon as the solid begins to melt remove the tube from the water and check the temperature. Repeat the experiment twice for each solid. Beware the test tube can get quite hot. If you can, hold it with a cloth or barbecue tongs.