Lake Mist

This image shows mist over an Iowa lake. Matter is everywhere. We typically think of air as a gas we cannot see. How do we know air is there when we can’t see it? Well chilly Iowa temperatures turned this invisible air into a visible mist. 

• How does the changing Iowa temperature affect different types of matter?

• What examples of matter do you see in the picture?
• How do you know there is air in the picture?
• Does the air above the water have weight?

Students could:

• Label the different types of matter they see in the photograph.
• Come to a class consensus on the definition of matter.
• In pairs, have students make a claim about the time of day and season the photograph was taken. 
• Describe how matter changes form throughout seasons.
• Experiment with ways to measure gases. (i.e. filling up a balloon, inflating/deflating a basketball)
• Observe how changes in temperature impacts matter. (can be seasonal or as temperature changes throughout the day). Set a balloon with air, or a basketball outside overnight. Observe it at different times of the day.

• PBS LearningMedia | Science Trek: States of Matter:This video segment explains and gives examples of the 4 states of matter: solid, liquid, gas, and plasma.
• Laura Candler's Teaching Resources | Investigating Condensation: The site explains different ways condensation and evaporation are linked, along with lessons and printables.
• Science Education Research Partnership | Condensation and Evaporation Interactive:  The site has experiments and different graphics that explain how condensation and evaporation work. 
• Your Dictionary | Condensation Examples:  This site has great examples of where to find condensation in our real world, and things for students to look for outside of a window.