How Extreme Environments Change the Properties of Water

Crash Course Kids

This educational video from Crash Course Kids explores how environmental factors like pressure and temperature affect the properties of matter. Using water as a central example, host Sabrina Cruz demonstrates how a standard material behaves differently in extreme environments, specifically comparing conditions at sea level to those on Mount Everest and in the vacuum of space. The video uses animation and clear analogies to explain complex concepts regarding phase changes and atmospheric pressure. The content covers key chemistry and physics topics including states of matter (solid, liquid, gas), physical properties, boiling points, and the relationship between altitude, atmospheric pressure, and molecular behavior. It introduces the particle model of matter by explaining how pressure acts as a force keeping molecules bound together in a liquid state, and what happens when that pressure is removed. For educators, this video serves as an excellent bridge between units on states of matter and units on weather/atmosphere or space science. It provides concrete examples of abstract concepts, making it easier for students to understand why boiling points aren't fixed numbers but are dependent on environmental conditions. The engaging animation style and humorous examples (like astronaut waste in space) make high-level science accessible for upper elementary and middle school students.