Classroom Teacher Preparation
Chemistry 1: Properties of Water
Please use the following to prepare for the next SfS lesson.
Description:
This lesson demonstrates the unique properties of water through a series of simple experiments that encourage students
to generate explanations for what they observe. Students work in groups to complete activities, collect data, record
results, and describe their findings. The properties of water examined include cohesion, adhesion, surface tension,
density, solvent ability, and heat capacity. The lesson culminates with a discussion of student observations and introduces
the scientific terms for the properties of water.
Lesson Objectives – SWBAT (“Students Will Be Able To…”):
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Appreciate that water has many unique properties that make it essential to life on earth
Investigate water’s properties and offer explanations for water’s unusual behaviors
Describe the properties of water including cohesion, adhesion, surface tension, solvent ability, density, and heat
capacity and provide an example of each property
Preparation:
This lesson is an introduction to the topic.
Vocabulary:
These terms will be defined in lesson:
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Adhesion (of water) – the attraction of water molecules to other polar substances
Capillary action – the spontaneous flow of a liquid into a narrow tube or porous material
Cohesion (of water) – the attraction of water molecules to other water molecules
Density - the relationship between the mass of a substance and how much space (volume) it takes up
Heat capacity – the ability of a substance to absorb heat without changing temperature
Polarity (of water) – an unequal sharing of the electrons between the oxygen atom and hydrogen atoms in a water
molecule, which creates a slight positive charge on one side of the molecule and a slight negative charge on the
other side
Solvent – a liquid (such as water) capable of dissolving other substances
Surface tension – the cohesive attraction between molecules at the surface of a liquid (such as water)
Water molecule - chemical formula H2O; two hydrogen atoms covalently bonded to a single oxygen atom make up
a single water molecule
Room Set Up for Activities:
Students will work at their own pace in small groups of 3-5 on desks or tables. There are enough materials to form 6
groups. An electrical outlet will be necessary for plugging in a desk lamp.
Safety:
We will be working with water, isopropyl alcohol, and kitchen oils. Students should not smell or taste the liquids in the
activities. Students should be careful around the desk lamp, as the light bulb can get hot.
Science from Scientists
617-314-7773 • [email protected] • www.sciencefromscientists.org
Copyright © 2016 Science from Scientists
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Related Modules:
This lesson may be taught as part of a group of related modules involving properties of water including:
Chemistry 11: States of Matter – introduces the three commonly observed states of matter (solid, liquid, gas), the most
commonly-occurring one (plasma, which makes up the stars), and allows students to observe many of the transitions
between the different states.
Earth Science 12: Water Cycle – presents a game that explains how water cycles through different forms and storage
types on Earth and in Earth’s atmosphere. Students act as water molecules and move around the room to the different
places water is found on Earth.
Earth Science 16: Weather – provides an introduction to weather and its key components that influence it. Key
components include temperature, humidity, pressure, and air currents. The four main types of precipitation are included in
the lesson.
Standards Covered:
Please click the following link to our website to review the standards covered by this lesson, listed by state:
http://www.sciencefromscientists.org/standards/
Lessons are matched to both national NGSS and local state standards.
Classroom Post and Activities:
A link to the Follow Up Student activity can be found in the Classroom Post on our website at
sciencefromscientists.org/cohorts. Use the name of your school/cohort and password to log in. The activities found in the
Student Follow up take a closer look at adhesion in water with two fun experiments. In the first experiment, water ‘walks’
from cup to cup to create a rainbow of colors; while the second experiment explores adhesion in plants by coloring a white
flower with food dye.
Additional Resources:
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Water-Liquid Awesome: Crash Course Biology Video (11:16): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVT3Y3_gHGg
Properties of Water Video – the Amoeba Sisters (6:51): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jwAGWky98c
Water’s properties are even more unique in space!
o Experiments with water in zero gravity - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntQ7qGilqZE
o Wringing out a washcloth - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFPvdNbftOY
o Liquid ping pong - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLbhrMCM4_0
Science from Scientists
617-314-7773 • [email protected] • www.sciencefromscientists.org
Copyright © 2016 Science from Scientists
Page 2