Name: ___________________________ Teacher: __________________ Test Date: ____________________
4th Grade: Properties and Changes in Matter
End of Unit Assessment Study Guide
Vocabulary:
1.Matter: Anything that takes up space and has mass.
2.Properties: Characteristics that you can observe.
3.Solid: Any matter that has definite shape and takes up a definite amount of space (volume).
4.Liquid: Any matter that takes up a definite amount of space (volume) but does not have a definite shape
(takes the shape of its container).
5.Gas: Any matter that does not have definite shape (spreads out to fill a space) or does not take up a definite
amount of space (volume)
6.Heating: Adding heat to matter. Adding heat to a solid can produce a liquid. Adding heat to a liquid can
produce a gas.
7.Cooling: Removing heat from matter. Removing heat from a liquid can produce a solid. Removing heat from
a gas can produce a liquid.
8.Mass: The amount of matter in an object. Mass is measured using a balance. Unit of measurement for mass
is the gram or kilogram.
9. Balance: The tool used to measure mass. When objects have the same mass, the balance will be balanced,
or straight across. If one object has more mass, that side will tip downward.
10.Weight: The amount of force on an object due to gravity. Weight is measured using a spring scale. Unit of
measurement for weight is the gram or kilogram.
11. Spring Scale: A tool used to measure weight. The more an object weighs, the more gravity will pull it
toward Earth.
12.Volume: The amount of space an object takes up. Liquid is measured by volume. We measure liquid using
a graduated cylinder. Unit of measurement for volume is milliliter or liter.
13. Graduated Cylinder: A tool used to measure liquid volume. Graduated cylinders have premeasured marks
on them to help you easily decipher how much space that liquid is taking up.
Key Ideas:
Properties:

All objects have physical properties that can be measured.

Matter can be described by its properties (or characteristics you can observe)
o Examples of properties:
 Color
 Shape
 Size
 Texture
 State (solid, liquid or gas)
 Mass
 Weight
 Volume
Matter:




Matter is found all over our universe. Most things are made of matter.
Matter is anything that has mass and takes up space.
Matter exists in different states; solid, liquid, and gas.
Matter can change from one state to another by heating and cooling.
States of Matter:


Scientists organize matter based on the state that it’s in.
When we talk about states of matter, we’re talking about whether it’s solid, liquid, or gas.
Solid:


Has definite shape (meaning the shape doesn’t change)
Has definite volume (meaning it takes up the same amount of space no matter what)
o Examples: wood, ice, desk, chalkboard, computer, pizza, etc.
Liquid:
 Does not have definite shape (meaning it takes the shape of whatever container it is put into)
 Has definite volume (meaning no matter what container it is put in, it will still take up the same
amount of space)
o Examples: milk, rain, dew, water, orange juice, syrup, pop, etc.
Gas:
 Does not have definite shape (meaning it takes the shape of whatever container it is put into)
 Does not have definite volume (meaning it will spread to fill a container)
o Examples: Air in a balloon, steam, smelling perfume, gas bubbles in pop, etc.
Matter can easily change states by heating and cooling.
 Solid + HEAT = Liquid  heating
Examples: leaving a candy bar out in the sun, leaving an ice cube in the sun, and heating
crayons over a burner.
 Liquid – HEAT = Solid  Cooling
Examples: putting water into the freezer, cooling down liquid jello
 Liquid water + HEAT= steam (gas)  Heating
Examples: boiling a pot of water, evaporation
 Gas (water vapor) – HEAT = Liquid Water  cooling
Examples: water collects on the outside of a cold glass, eyeglasses fogging up when you come in
from the cold.
Mass:

Mass is the amount of matter making up an object.

Mass is measured using a balance.

Mass is often measured using units called grams (g) and kilograms (kg).

Mass cannot change from planet to planet.
Weight:

Another property of matter is weight.

Weight: the force on an object due to gravity.

Weight is measured by a spring scale.

Weight can change from planet to planet.

Weight is often measured using units called grams (g) & kilograms (kg).
o A gram is equal to a large paper clip.
o There are 1,000 grams in kilogram. – a large stapler or a textbook is roughly 1 kilogram.
Volume:

Another property of matter is volume.

Volume is how much space an object takes up.

We measure liquids by volume using tools called graduated cylinders.

We measure the volume of liquids in units called milliliters (mL) and liters (L).
o A milliliter is about 20 drops of liquid.
o A liter is half of a 2-liter bottle of pop
Example questions with answer key at bottom
1. Circle all the properties that belong to a solid:
a. Has definite volume
b. Takes the shape of its container.
c. Has a definite shape
d. Has no definite shape
e. Has mass
f. Does not have mass
2. Circle all the properties that belong to a liquid:
a. Has definite volume
b. Takes the shape of its container.
c. Has a definite shape
d. Has no definite shape
e. Has mass
f. Does not have mass
3. Circle all the properties that belong to a gas:
a. Has definite volume
b. Spreads to fill a container.
c. Has a definite shape
d. Has no definite shape
e. Has mass
f. Does not have mass
4. Which of the following is an example of a solid?
a. shampoo
c. snowflake
b. water vapor
d. pop
5. Which of the following is an example of a liquid?
a. snowflake
c. wood
b. ice cube
d. rain
6. Which of the following is an example of a gas?
a. gasoline
c. condensation
b. Pop fizz
d. icicle
7. A liquid can change to a gas by ___________.
a. Adding heat to it to boil it.
b. Removing heat from it to cool it.
c. A liquid cannot change to a gas.
8. Which of the following is a good example of a solid changing into a liquid?
a. Putting water into the freezer
b. Boiling a pot of water
c. Melting a candy bar
9. Mass is measured using ____________.
a. A spring scale
b. A thermometer
c. A balance
d. Your eyes
10. Weight is the measure of how much force on an object due to _________________.
a. Volume
b. Weight
c. Gravity
d. Mass
11. When measuring the volume of a small bottle of cough syrup, which unit would you most likely use?
a. Grams
b. Kilograms
c. Milliliters
d. Liters
KEY: 1. ) a, c, e 2.) a, b, d, e 3.) b, d, e 4.) c 5.) d 6.) b 7.) a 8.) c 9.) c 10.) c 11.) c