Liquids - Presentation

In an engaging presentation about the properties of liquids, students are prompted to explore and understand the diverse behaviours of liquids through a series of interactive experiments. Initially, they are asked whether they can describe liquids as 'runny' and acknowledge that different liquids may behave distinctly. The hands-on activities are designed to help students observe these differences and gain insights into fundamental concepts of chemistry. For instance, by adding varying amounts of sugar to water and observing the formation of layers in a 'Liquid Tower' experiment, students learn about density and how it affects the mixture of liquids. They also witness the impact of density in a 'Liquid Race', where they compare the flow rates of different liquids down a ramp, discovering that thicker liquids move more slowly.

Further experiments, such as 'Opening Flowers' and 'Patterned Skittles', allow students to observe capillary action and the diffusion of colours in water, respectively. In the 'Opening Flowers' activity, students fold paper flowers and place them in water to observe how they 'open' as the paper absorbs water. The 'Patterned Skittles' experiment has them arrange Skittles on a plate and add water to see how the colours from the sweets spread into the water, teaching them about solubility and the movement of different chemicals in a liquid. The presentation concludes with reflective questions that encourage students to articulate their understanding of liquids, their similarities and differences, and the unique properties they have observed through these experiments. This educational session aims to solidify the students' grasp of the characteristics of liquids and their behaviours in various conditions.