As sixth graders are trying to answer the driving question of how they smell something, it's important to see how phase change can play a role in all that! Using water as a second example (we first looked at menthol change phases), we're beginning to see how solids become liquids, and liquids become gases and then back again. We noticed how there was a change in volume when liquids became gases, providing evidence that some of the liquid MUST have evaporated into a gas.
But how do all these phase changes relate to how we can smell something? We noticed we smelled menthol MORE when it changed from a solid to a liquid, and EVEN MORE as it became a gas.
Here were some great questions from today's demonstration and discussion:
1. Why don't we smell the water when it evaporated like we did the menthol?
2. Are some smells stronger than others? What makes them stronger?
3. Does everything have to become a gas in order for me to smell it?
Hmmmm....great thinking!
But how do all these phase changes relate to how we can smell something? We noticed we smelled menthol MORE when it changed from a solid to a liquid, and EVEN MORE as it became a gas.
Here were some great questions from today's demonstration and discussion:
1. Why don't we smell the water when it evaporated like we did the menthol?
2. Are some smells stronger than others? What makes them stronger?
3. Does everything have to become a gas in order for me to smell it?
Hmmmm....great thinking!