Physical and Chemical Change

This concise science demonstration investigates the relationship between an object's physical shape and its mass. Using a digital scale and a ball of purple modeling clay, the video guides viewers through a systematic experiment. The narrator first weighs the clay as a ball, then manipulates it into a flat pancake and a cylinder, measuring the mass after each transformation to verify if it changes. The video explores key concepts related to the properties of matter, specifically focusing on mass and the conservation of matter during physical changes. It clearly demonstrates that physical alterations, such as squishing or rolling an object, do not affect the amount of matter present. The use of a digital scale provides clear, numerical evidence (85.0 grams) that reinforces the scientific observation. For educators, this video serves as an excellent hook or direct instruction tool for units on matter. It models the scientific method by posing a question, testing a hypothesis, and drawing a conclusion based on data. It is particularly useful for addressing the common student misconception that an object's weight or mass changes when its appearance or surface area changes (e.g., thinking a flat pancake weighs less than a dense ball).

This engaging video from Sci Kids! takes young learners on a tasty trip to the carnival to uncover the science behind a favorite treat: cotton candy. Hosted by Anthony and his robot friend Squeaks, the episode demystifies how hard, crunchy sugar crystals are transformed into soft, fluffy clouds. Through clear explanations and helpful animations, the video breaks down the physical changes that occur when sugar is heated and spun.

In this comprehensive compilation from SciShow Kids, Jessi and her robot rat friend Squeaks take students on a journey to explore everything about Earth's water. The video is divided into three distinct segments: first, investigating where the water in our faucets comes from by exploring groundwater, rivers, oceans, and glaciers; second, a debate between puppet characters Bill and Webb about whether wind or water is a stronger force of nature, leading to a lesson on erosion and landforms; and third, a theatrical performance that dramatizes the stages of the water cycle. Key themes include the geography of water (rivers, lakes, oceans), the states of matter (liquid water, solid ice, water vapor), and the geological forces of erosion and weathering. The video covers specific landforms like the Grand Canyon, sand dunes, and stone arches, explaining how they were formed over millions of years. It also breaks down the water cycle into its four main components: evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection, using a play-within-a-video format to model these abstract concepts. This video is highly valuable for elementary science classrooms as it connects everyday experiences (turning on a tap, seeing rain) to global systems. It models scientific inquiry through Squeaks' hypothesis testing and uses engaging visual aids—including maps, real-world footage, and puppetry—to make complex topics like geological time and phase changes accessible. The variety of segments allows teachers to use the video as a whole or break it down to teach specific units on hydrology, geology, or weather.

This educational video explores the fundamental scientific principle of the Conservation of Mass. Through engaging visuals and clear examples, the host investigates whether matter can ever truly disappear or be created from nothing. The video distinguishes between physical changes (like dissolving sugar in tea) and chemical changes (like baking a cake), explaining how matter behaves in each scenario. It specifically addresses the common misconception that when something dissolves or evaporates, it is gone forever. The content breaks down complex terminology into accessible concepts, defining key terms such as reactants, products, and physical versus chemical changes. It uses a concrete experiment—weighing sugar and water before and after mixing—to provide empirical evidence that mass remains constant even when visible properties change. The narrative connects everyday observations, like a glass of water evaporating or sugar dissolving, to the broader scientific law that mass is never made or lost. For educators, this video is an excellent tool for introducing the particle nature of matter and the law of conservation of mass. It provides a ready-made demonstration that can be replicated in the classroom and offers clear definitions of vocabulary essential for upper elementary and middle school science curricula. The visual proof provided by the digital scale reading serves as a powerful anchor for students grappling with abstract concepts of invisible matter.

This engaging episode of SciShow Kids tackles a common childhood question: "Why is fire hot?" Host Jessi and her robot mouse companion, Squeaks, break down the complex physics of heat and energy into kid-friendly concepts. The video explains that heat is a form of energy and uses the relatable analogy of how our bodies get warm when we exercise to explain how fire releases energy. It introduces the scientific concept of "combustion" and clearly delineates the three essential ingredients needed for a fire: fuel, oxygen, and heat. The video explores key themes of energy transformation and chemical changes. It visually demonstrates how wood (fuel) changes physically into charcoal and ash as it releases stored energy in the form of heat. The narrative connects abstract scientific principles to concrete examples, such as eating food for energy or using a match to start a birthday candle. It also reinforces critical fire safety rules, reminding young viewers never to play with matches or get too close to fires. For educators, this video serves as an excellent introduction to physical science concepts like energy, heat, and chemical reactions. It provides a natural bridge between basic observations (fire is hot) and scientific explanations (combustion). Teachers can use this resource to launch lessons on the "Fire Triangle," discuss the difference between physical and chemical changes, or reinforce health and safety curriculums regarding fire prevention. The clear visual aids and simple analogies make it highly accessible for early elementary students.

In this engaging episode of SciShow Kids, host Jessi and her robot friend Squeaks explore the concept of recycling through a practical problem: Squeaks' crayons are worn down and difficult to use. Instead of throwing them away, Jessi proposes recycling them, using this as a jumping-off point to explain waste management. The video breaks down complex topics like landfills, decomposition rates of different materials (food vs. plastic vs. glass), and the environmental importance of reducing waste.

In this engaging episode of SciShow Kids, host Jessi and her robot friend Squeaks demonstrate a classic and dramatic kitchen science experiment: the "exploding" soap trick. The video guides young viewers through the process of microwaving a specific type of soap to witness it expand into a massive, fluffy cloud. It explains the manufacturing process of Ivory soap, specifically how air is whipped into it, distinguishing it from other brands and making this specific reaction possible. The content explores key scientific concepts including states of matter, specifically the behavior of gases when heated. It introduces the term "water vapor" and uses clear animations to explain how heat energy causes gas molecules to move faster and expand. The narrative connects the microscopic behavior of air pockets and water trapped inside the soap to the macroscopic expansion seen in the microwave. This video is highly valuable for early elementary science classrooms as a safe, accessible introduction to thermal expansion and states of matter. It models the scientific method by encouraging predictions and observations. Teachers can use this video as a hook for lessons on heat energy, a demonstration of physical changes, or as a guide for a hands-on experiment that requires minimal materials but delivers maximum engagement.

In this engaging compilation of four hands-on science activities, Jessi and her robot rat friend Squeaks demonstrate how to turn a stuck-inside day into an exciting laboratory adventure. The video guides young viewers through creating Oobleck (a non-Newtonian fluid), mixing "potions" to understand solutions versus suspensions, creating homemade watercolor paints using a chemical reaction, and engineering blanket forts to learn about physics and tension. Each segment is practical, easy to follow, and uses common household items. The video explores fundamental scientific concepts across chemistry, physics, and engineering. Key topics include states of matter (solids, liquids, and things in between), the properties of mixtures (dissolving vs. separating), chemical reactions (acids and bases fizzing), color theory, and physical forces like tension that hold structures together. The content seamlessly blends fun activities with rigorous scientific vocabulary and explanation. For educators, this video is a treasure trove of ready-to-use classroom demonstrations or stations. It is ideal for introducing units on matter, mixtures, or simple machines/forces. The step-by-step instructions allow teachers to pause and have students predict outcomes or follow along in real-time. It transforms abstract concepts like "suspension" or "tension" into tangible, memorable experiences that students can touch, see, and build themselves.

This short, focused educational video presents a clear demonstration to help students distinguish between physical and chemical changes. Using a simple prop—a colorful popsicle stick—the video asks viewers to categorize the act of breaking the stick. It then demonstrates the action, breaking both a yellow and a blue stick in half, while narration explains that this action only alters the object's shape and form, providing the key evidence needed to classify it as a physical change. The content focuses on the core concepts of matter and its properties, specifically identifying physical changes where the substance's chemical identity remains intact. It highlights that change in appearance (shape/form) does not necessarily equate to a change in substance, a foundational concept in elementary physical science. For teachers, this video serves as an excellent "bell ringer" or discussion starter. It effectively models scientific observation and reasoning. Because it is short and visually clear, it works well as part of a larger station rotation, a quick formative assessment, or an introduction to a hands-on activity where students test various materials for physical versus chemical volatility.

This educational video provides a comprehensive overview of glass as a material, tracing its lifecycle from raw natural resources to sophisticated modern technology. It begins by situating glass within the broader context of materials science, before diving into the specific manufacturing process that transforms silica sand, soda ash, and limestone into the clear, hard substance we recognize. The narration explains the physical changes that occur during heating and cooling, providing a clear link between raw ingredients and finished products. The video explores key themes such as the physical properties of matter—specifically transparency, opacity, and translucency—and how these properties dictate function. It covers engineering concepts like tempering glass for safety in automobiles and showers, illustrating how altering a material's structure can change its behavior when broken. Additionally, the video bridges the gap between ancient uses of glass, such as stained glass art, and cutting-edge applications like fiber optic cables that power the internet. For educators, this resource serves as an excellent anchor for lessons on states of matter, material science, and engineering design. It visually demonstrates abstract concepts like "properties of materials" through concrete examples like lenses, windows, and cables. Teachers can use this video to spark discussions on why specific materials are chosen for specific objects, the relationship between structure and function, and the evolution of technology from purely structural uses to data transmission.

This educational animation provides a clear, step-by-step walkthrough of the scientific process of distillation, a method used to separate liquid solutions. The video breaks down the laboratory procedure into seven distinct steps, starting from the assembly of the necessary apparatus—including the burner, distillation flask, condenser, and receiving flask—to the final collection of the purified liquid. It utilizes detailed animated diagrams to visualize internal processes that are difficult to observe in a real-world setting, such as the flow of vapor and the cooling action of the condenser. Key themes explored include phase changes (vaporization and condensation), the importance of boiling points in separating mixtures, and the specific functions of laboratory equipment. The video explicitly differentiates between the 'distillate' (the purified liquid collected) and the 'residue' (the substance remaining in the original flask), helping students understand the conservation of matter during separation. It emphasizes the critical role of temperature control and the physical mechanics of the water-cooled condenser. For educators, this video serves as an excellent pre-lab visual aid or a substitute for live demonstrations when laboratory resources are limited. It connects abstract chemical concepts to tangible applications by concluding with real-world examples of distillation, such as water purification, perfume manufacturing, and essential oil production. The visual clarity makes it particularly useful for reinforcing vocabulary related to lab equipment and physical changes in matter.

This energetic animated music video provides a comprehensive introduction to the concept of matter, setting fundamental physical science concepts to a catchy, rhythmic beat. Through a cast of colorful animated characters and clear visual diagrams, the song defines matter as anything that has mass and takes up space, distinguishing it from forms of energy like light and sound. The video breaks down the composition of matter into atoms and molecules, visualizing protons, neutrons, and electrons in a way that makes abstract atomic theory accessible to young learners. The content covers several critical curriculum standards, including the three primary states of matter (solid, liquid, gas) and the phase changes between them (melting, freezing, evaporation, condensation). It progresses to more advanced topics by distinguishing between physical changes—where the substance remains the same, like tearing paper—and chemical changes—where new substances are formed, illustrated by rusting locks, burning wood, and cooking food. The lyrics also introduce key properties used to describe matter, such as mass, volume, density, and texture. For educators, this video serves as an excellent engagement hook or review tool for units on physical science. The repetitive nature of the chorus helps reinforce the definition of matter, while the specific visual examples provide concrete anchors for difficult vocabulary. It successfully bridges the gap between simple observation (what things look like) and scientific explanation (molecular structure and chemical reactions), making it a versatile resource for upper elementary and middle school science classrooms.