States of Matter Tricks
📋 What it is
Surprising state changes (instant freezing, dry ice “smoke”) are just particles gaining or losing heat.
🗣️ Coach says
Some state changes look like magic: dry ice “smokes”, super-cooled water freezes the instant you tap it. But it’s all particles trading heat. Dry ice skips liquid entirely (solid straight to gas); super-cooled water was just waiting for a nudge to lock into ice.
🧠 Memory hook
“Magic” state changes are just particles gaining or losing heat. No liquid needed sometimes.
😂 Giggle
Why did the density tower feel superior?
It was always on top of things!
😲 Whoa!
Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide so cold that it turns straight from solid to gas — the “smoke” is CO₂ gas mixed with water vapour, never a liquid.
✅ Quick check: Dry ice “smokes” without melting into a puddle. Why?
Say your answer out loud first — then reveal.
It sublimates — goes straight from solid to gas, skipping liquid — so there’s no puddle, just gas.
Some substances change directly between solid and gas (sublimation).
🧪 Try it! (2 minutes)
Put an ice cube on a metal spoon and on a wooden one. It melts faster on metal — metal moves heat to it quicker.