CLOZE ing
in
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Science!
5.5A: Classifying Matter
Matter and Energy
Name: ______________________________ Date: ____________________________
Key Concept 1: Matter has physical properties that can be observed.
Passage
Scientists classify different types of matter, or ‘stuff’, by describing their
observable __________________. These might include the state of matter,
ability to attract magnets, how something dissolves in water, or even how it
insulates or ___________ heat and electricity. Koozies are great for insulating
our sodas on the beach, which means less heat moves to our drink. Think
about other substances that insulate in our homes and kitchens. Oven mitts,
the pink wall insulation, or even the coat you wear stops or slows down the
transfer of _____________.
Word Bank
heat
conducts
properties
Illustration
© 2011 Rice University – All Rights Reserved
CLOZE ing
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Science!
5.5A: Classifying Matter
Matter and Energy
Key Concept 2: We can classify matter based on its physical properties
using tools such as balances, magnets, and electric circuits.
Passage
Tools come in very handy when we conduct our scientific experiments.
Imagine if you had a pile of shoes and needed to sort them by length. A
___________ would be useful to measure length. If we are comparing the
mass of different coins, we could place them on a ___________ to determine
their mass. Certain things contain iron, which makes them ____________, a
property we could use magnets to identify. If we set up an electric circuit, we
could place different items along the circuit to test their _____________, or
ability to transfer energy.
Word Bank
balance magne*c
conductivity
ruler
Illustration
© 2011 Rice University – All Rights Reserved
CLOZE ing
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Science!
5.5A: Classifying Matter
Matter and Energy
Key Concept 3: We can classify matter based on its behavior such as
ability to float or sink, attraction to a magnet, solubility in water, and
ability to conduct heat or electricity.
Passage
Think about taking a trip to the beach. If you throw things in the water,
do they float or sink? Well, some __________ if they stay on the surface
or the might __________ if you see them go under and to the bottom. If
an object like a rock is thrown into the water, it will ___________ in water
because it is more dense than water. A beach ball though will
__________ on the surface because it is less dense than ____________.
Think about other things that float or sink – how are they different?
Word Bank
float
sink float
sink water
Illustration
© 2011 Rice University – All Rights Reserved
CLOZE ing
in
on
Science!
5.5A: Classifying Matter
Matter and Energy
Answer Key
Scientists classify different types of matter, or ‘stuff’, by describing their observable properties.
These might include the state of matter, ability to attract magnets, how something dissolves in
water, or even how it insulates or conducts heat and electricity. Koozies are great for insulating
our sodas on the beach, which means less heat moves to our drink. Think about other substances
that insulate in our homes and kitchens. Oven mitts, the pink wall insulation, or even the coat you
wear stops or slows down the transfer of heat.
Tools come in very handy when we conduct our scientific experiments. Imagine if you had a pile
of shoes and needed to sort them by length. A ruler would be useful to measure length. If we are
comparing the mass of different coins, we could place them on a balance to determine their mass.
Certain things contain iron, which makes them magnetic, a property we could use magnets to
identify. If we set up an electric circuit, we could place different items along the circuit to test
their conductivity, or ability to transfer energy.
Think about taking a trip to the beach. If you throw things in the water, do they float or sink?
Well, some float if they stay on the surface or the might sink if you see them go under and to the
bottom. If an object like a rock is thrown into the water it will sink in water because it is more
dense than water. A beach ball though will float on the surface because it is less dense than
water. Think about other things that float or sink – how are they different?
© 2011 Rice University – All Rights Reserved