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Plasma Gas Liquid Solid (Not)
So far, students have been shown that matter exists as plasma, gas, liquid, or solid. This topic begins to introduce some “not-so-cut-and-dry” categories of matter including non-classical states of matter, low-temperature states of matter, and high-energy states of matter. Students research, explore, and discuss matter which are not as easily categorized: glass, crystals with some degree of disorder, liquid crystal states, microphase-separated matter, magnetically ordered matter, degenerate matter, and superfluids.
Lesson 1 (or “Day 1”) Material
Lesson 2 (or “Day 2”) Material
- Day 2 Instructor Presentation
- Day 2 Student Handout
- Day 2 Rubric
- Read Chem 44 – Fact or Myth?
- Read Chem 44 – Non-classical states of matter
- Read Chem 44 – Ten Unusual States of Matter
Lesson 3 (or “Day 3”) Material
Lesson 4 (or “Day 4”) Material
5:09 Crystalline & Amorphous Solids
4:56 22 States of Matter
7:10 The Strange, Frictionless World of Superfluids
Compare Contrast and Debate
Kickoff Debate Background:
Most matter in the universe is in the plasma state. (Frostburg.edu). Typically, lower grades do not currently introduce or emphasize concepts of plasma. Here are a few specific examples of plasmas:
- Gases in discharge tubes
- The fireball made by a nuclear weapon
- Lightning
- Auroras
- Welding arcs
- The upper atmosphere (the ionosphere)
- Stars and the Sun
- the solar wind
- interstellar gas clouds
- Comet tails
- Position A: Concepts of plasma should be significantly better emphasized in lower grades.
- Position B: Concepts of plasma are appropriate to defer until later grades.
Instructor Emphasis:
- Science & Engineering Practice: Ask questions and define problems.
- Cross-Cutting Concept: Structure and Function.