Bill Nye Phases of Matter online exercise for - Free Printable

Here’s the completed worksheet based on the Bill Nye “What’s the Matter?” video and general science knowledge:

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What’s the Matter? Bill Nye Video

1. The three phases of matter are solid, liquid, gas.

2. Gasoline changes from a liquid to a gas (when it evaporates or combusts).

3. To change from phase to phase you need to?
→ Add or remove energy (heat).
*(Phase changes require energy transfer — melting, boiling, freezing, condensing, etc.)*

4. Matter becomes solid when its molecules slow down and pack together tightly.
*(As temperature decreases, molecular motion slows, allowing particles to form fixed positions.)*

5. The temperature of liquid nitrogen is -196 °C.
*(This is the boiling point of nitrogen at standard pressure — it’s commonly used as a cryogenic liquid.)*

6. What is it called when molecules completely stop moving?
→ Absolute zero (0 Kelvin or -273.15°C).
*(Theoretically, this is the lowest possible temperature where all classical molecular motion ceases.)*

7. How close have scientists come to reaching absolute zero?
→ Scientists have reached within a few billionths of a degree above absolute zero (e.g., 0.0000000001 K or 100 pK).
*(Using techniques like laser cooling and magnetic trapping, labs like MIT and NIST have gotten extremely close.)*

8. Complete the Table:

| Phase of Matter | Molecules move |
|------------------|--------------------|
| Solid | Slow |
| Liquid | Medium / Moderate |
| Gas | Very fast |

*(In solids, molecules vibrate in place; in liquids, they slide past each other; in gases, they zip around freely.)*

9. What gas is put into Coke® to make it fizz?
→ Carbon dioxide (CO₂).
*(It’s dissolved under pressure — when you open the bottle, pressure drops and CO₂ bubbles out, causing fizz.)*

10. What are two examples of matter that do not exactly fit into one of the usual three phases?
→ Plasma (e.g., lightning, stars, neon signs)
→ Bose-Einstein Condensate (a state formed at ultra-cold temperatures near absolute zero)
*(Also acceptable: *Liquid crystals* (used in LCD screens), *gels*, or *colloids* — these exhibit properties between phases.)*

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✔ Summary: This worksheet reviews the basics of states of matter, phase changes, molecular motion, and introduces exotic states beyond solid/liquid/gas. The answers reflect core science concepts taught in Bill Nye’s engaging style.

Let me know if you’d like a printable version or explanations for younger students!