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Water can exist in three states: Florida, California, and Hawaii.

Just kidding! :) Really they are:

solidimage, liquidimage, & gasimage

Water is really made up of smaller parts that we can't see. Imagine that you could see these parts by looking through the most powerful magnifying glass in the world. Here is what you might see...

Views of the states of water through the
Magic Magnifying Glass.

Solid

Liquid

Gas

As the temperature of water increases, these little parts move faster because they have more energy.

In a solid, these small parts have less heat energy, are tightly packed together and do not move very much. Think about falling down on the ice when you were ice-skating. It was hard!
In a liquid, these small parts have more heat energy, are loosely packed, and can move freely. Liquids have no shape of their own (instead, they take on the shape of the container). If your cup of water spills, the water is flat and you get to clean it up.
In a gas, the little parts have the most heat energy and are free to move around all they want. They are like a gym full of kids running around playing tag. Water in this form is invisible since the parts are so far apart. It is called water vapor. Is it magic or a scientific principle?

THINK ABOUT IT

  • Where on the Earth would you find the most water in each of its states: solid, liquid and gas?
    • Since water in the solid state is ice, you would find it in glaciers or snowfields by the north or south poles. This is fresh water, but you have to heat it to get a drink.
    • Water in the oceans is in the liquid state and is salty. It is fun to play in, but you don't want to drink it!
    • We can't see it, but the air around us has water in the state of a gas in it. If there are many clouds in the sky, then we know that water vapor must be there.

TRY THIS

  • Put an ice cube in a sandwich bag.
    • See if you can get it to change from a solid to a liquid.
    • Now can you also get it to change from a liquid to a gas?

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Updated August 18, 2005 by: Glen Westbroek

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