What's the Matter?

[30 Minutes]

In the world of science, everything around you is called matter. Anything that takes up space is matter, and chemistry is the science of how matter reacts and combines with other matter. Does that make sense? There are four states (or types) of matter: solid, liquid, gas, and plasma. Let’s do a little chemistry experiment and see how combining equal amounts of two forms of matter will challenge your knowledge of math!

You'll need:

• one clear glass jar (holds at least three cups) • measuring cup (one cup at least) • masking tape • fine point marker • water • one cup of sugar • funnel (optional) • long spoon or narrow spatula

What to do:

1. If possible, print out these directions. Read them through with your child before you begin.
2. With your child, gather everything you'll need.
3. Invite your child to run a strip of masking tape down the length of the jar.
4. Help your child fill the measuring cup with one cup (250 ml) of water.
5. Let your child pour this carefully into the jar.
6. Challenge your child to mark the masking tape at the top of the water level with the number 1.
7. Ask your child what she thinks will happen when she adds one more cup of water to the jar. Will it add up to two cups?
8. Repeat this procedure, marking the new water level with a 2.
9. Remark to your child that there are now 2 cups of liquid matter in the jar.
10. Empty and dry the jar and measuring cup.
11. Let your child put one cup of sugar into the jar (with funnel, if available), making sure it reaches the one cup level as previously marked.
12. Ask your child what she thinks will happen when s/he adds one cup of water to the one cup of sugar and why.
13. Let your child add one cup of water to the jar.
14. Together, stir mixture and observe.

Let's Talk: Ideas to Explore Together.

• What did you get when you added one cup of water to one cup of water?
• What happened when you added one cup of water (liquid) to one cup of sugar (solid)?
• Why do you think that one cup plus one cup did not always add up to two cups?

Useful information:

Water is a liquid form of matter, and two things cannot occupy the same space at the same time…so…one cup of water took up one cup of space, and the second cup of water took up it’s own cup of space. Now, when we used a cup of sugar, things changed and here’s why. The cup of sugar is not completely solid. In between the grains of sugar are spaces, where water seeps through. It takes up the space in between, thus lowering the level of the water and making it seem that 1+1 does not equal 2!