Solid, Liquid or Gas? Material Identification Using Five Senses
Students use their five senses to identify whether objects are solid, liquid or gas.Copyright Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/thenickster/3667839998
Students are given a variety of materials and asked to identify if each material as a solid, liquid or gas. They use their five senses — sight, sound, smell, texture and taste — to identify the other characteristics of each item.
Engineers who study material science are interested in the different types of materials and all the possibilities of how they might be used. Many materials are very specialized and have become even more-so through recent technical advancements. Engineers study and test materials to find out their uses and limitations so they know which materials are best suited for specific applications. As applies to the Olympics, high-tech, engineered fabrics protect athletes and improve their performance (such as aerodynamic materials for swimming, cycling, luge, etc.)
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Explain that there are different types of materials suited for different purposes and that engineers must decide which material is best suited for a specific task.
- Describe how our five senses help us learn about different materials.