Know It by Its Properties
Aligned to 5-PS1-3 — Next Generation Science Standards.
What this lesson teaches
Every material has its own set of properties — like color, hardness, how it bends, whether it floats, or whether a magnet pulls it. By testing these properties, you can figure out what a mystery material is.
Worked examples
Example 1
Two silver spoons look the same, but a magnet sticks to one and not the other. That single test tells you the sticky one is steel and the other is not — their magnetic property is different.
Example 2
Sugar and salt both look like white crystals, but sugar melts into caramel when heated and salt does not.
Example 3
One property is rarely enough. Two clear liquids can both pour the same; you may need boiling point or smell to tell them apart.
Practice questions
- List three properties you could test on a rock, a coin, and a piece of plastic.
- Test whether five household objects float or sink and record your results in a table.
- A shiny object floats, isn't magnetic, and dents easily. Use its properties to argue what it might be.
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
Reconócelo por sus Propiedades
Cada material tiene su propio conjunto de propiedades — como el color, la dureza, cómo se dobla, si flota, o si un imán lo atrae. Al probar estas propiedades, puedes averiguar qué es un material misterioso.
Ejemplo 1: Dos cucharas plateadas se ven iguales, pero un imán se pega a una y a la otra no. Esa sola prueba te dice que la pegajosa es de acero y la otra no — su propiedad magnética es diferente.
Ejemplo 2: El azúcar y la sal se ven como cristales blancos, pero el azúcar se derrite en caramelo al calentarse y la sal no.
Ejemplo 3: Una sola propiedad rara vez basta. Dos líquidos transparentes se pueden servir igual; tal vez necesites el punto de ebullición o el olor para distinguirlos.
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