Effects of Temperature and Pressure on State Science Games

10 games

In this series of games, your students will learn how and why substances undergo phase changes. The Effects of Temperature and Pressure on State learning objective — based on NGSS and state standards — delivers improved student engagement and academic performance in your classroom, as demonstrated by research.

Scroll down for a preview of this learning objective’s games and the concepts they drive home.

Concepts Covered

Atoms and molecules are the particles that make up matter. A substance’s state of matter — solid, liquid, gas, or plasma — depends on how its molecules move and maintain their volume and shape.

Particles are in constant motion, but they interact differently depending on the state of matter.

  • Solid – particles stay in contact with each other, vibrating in place but not moving relative to each other, maintaining the solid’s shape and volume.
  • Liquid – particles stay in contact, but they are able to move relative to each other. Liquids change shape based on their container, but maintain their volume.
  • Gas – particles do not stay in contact, although they can collide. They move quickly relative to each other. Gases expand or contract to fill the available space, meaning they don’t maintain their shape or volume.

A substance’s state of matter is an extrinsic property, meaning it can be changed by its environment. Physical conditions like temperature and pressure affect state of matter. Both temperature and pressure can be measured, and state changes can be observed.

When thermal energy is added to a substance, its temperature increases, which can change its state from solid to liquid (melting), liquid to gas (vaporization), or solid to gas (sublimation). When energy is removed, the opposite happens, decreasing the substance’s temperature and turning it from liquid to solid (freezing), gas to solid (deposition), or from gas to liquid (condensation).

When the pressure exerted on a substance increases, it can cause the substance to condense. Decreasing pressure can cause it to vaporize. For some types of rock, decreasing pressure can also cause them to melt.

A preview of each game in the learning objective is found below.

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Image for Heredity and Gene Mutations
Heredity and Gene Mutations Estimated Duration: 4 minutes Explore the world of genes through the fascinating information of gene mutations!
Image for Eureka! - Artificial Evolution
Eureka! - Artificial Evolution Estimated Duration: 12 minutes Get ready to dive deep into the heart of genetics and unlock the secrets of the DNA! You will explore the mysteries of life's building blocks like never before.
Image for Basketball Master
Basketball Master Estimated Duration: 12 minutes Shoot a basketball through the hoop and answer some questions along the way! The game does not have any instructional content, it simply has review questions spread throughout.
Image for Newton Pool
Newton Pool Estimated Duration: 15 minutes The game consists of hand-crafted levels where the player controls a white ball. The goal of each level is to get the white ball to the end of the level in as few moves as possible, while racking up points by bumping golden balls into obstacles on the way! The game does not have any instructional math content, it simply has math review questions spread throughout.
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