http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/states-of-matterGo to the link above and click on the green button: Run Now!
Tab # 1 You will see a pot with molecules of matter in it. Be sure you are on the tab for Solids, Liquids, Gases. In this page, your task is to change the phases of matter by turning up the heat or taking heat away. What do you notice about the molecules of neon, argon, oxygen and water? How are they similar and how do they differ? You can reset as often as you like. What happens to the neon when the temperature is room temperature? When you add ice or heat? Write down all of your observations when you finish in a new blog post.
Tab # 2 Then, click on the tab that says Phase Changes. Here you will see the pot again with a lid, a finger, a pump, and a pressure gauge.
You can compress the matter inside by clicking on the finger and drag it up and down. You can also change the phases by adding or taking away heat. Notice how the phase changes on the right. You can add more molecules by using the bicycle pump the same way as the finger.
Write down all of your observations as you experiment with this simulation. What is the correlation between pressure and temperature as well as the state of matter you are changing? What causes the lid to blow off? What patterns do you see? What happens to the molecules when you decrease or increase the temperature? What about pressure? What if the temperature doesn't change, but you compress the matter inside the pan?
Be sure that you have posted all of your observations in one single post. Write approximately one paragraph for EACH of the two tabs (Solid, Liquid, Gas & Phase Changes) in the simulation of your observations and conclusions about phase changes.
