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Science•JHS Matter, Elements & Compounds

States of matter & changes

Junior High 6 questions
AI-drafted from platform data — specialist review scheduledBy DigiTransact Mastermind editorial teamLast updated
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What states of matter & changes means

You learn how solids, liquids and gases behave in different conditions. This helps you explain everyday changes such as ice melting, water drying up and steam turning back into water.

What you will practise

  • Identify solids, liquids and gases from their properties
  • Match changes of state to the correct scientific term
  • Choose the state with fixed shape and fixed volume
  • Read short examples and decide what change has happened

Before you start

You should already know that matter is anything that has mass and takes up space. It also helps to know basic ideas about heating and cooling.

Worked example

One question from this skill's own question bank, shown with its full working.

Question

Which state of matter has a fixed shape and fixed volume?

  • solid
  • liquid
  • gas
  • plasma
Answer: solid

Working: Particles in a solid are packed closely in fixed positions, giving a fixed shape and volume.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Saying liquids have a fixed shape. Remember they take the shape of their container.
  • Confusing evaporation with condensation. Evaporation is liquid to gas, while condensation is gas to liquid.
  • Thinking gases have a fixed volume. Gases spread out to fill the space available.
  • Forgetting that solids keep both shape and volume. Their particles stay closely packed.

Curriculum and exam alignment

Ghana GES Basic 7 to 9 syllabusBECE

This topic normally appears in Junior High School science work on matter and its properties. It supports the kind of questions you may meet in BECE preparation, especially those on states of matter and changes of state.

Curriculum notes are a general guide to where this work normally sits. Always check the syllabus your school or examination body is currently using.

Related skills

Other JHS Matter, Elements & Compounds skills in Science, at the same point in the course.

Other Science topics

My WorldLiving Things Around UsSHS SciencesUniversity ScienceBiologyChemistry

Related study guides

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Exams that assess states of matter & changes

Junior High work on this skill feeds directly into these exam papers. Each page lists the Science topics that appear on it.

BECEBECE practice questionsFree BECE practice across the subjects at this stage, with worked answers.GESGES practice questionsFree GES practice across the subjects at this stage, with worked answers.

How this page was produced

This text was drafted with AI assistance from the questions and topics already stored on the platform. A subject-specialist review is scheduled but has not yet been recorded, so we do not claim it here.

Written by
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6 questions with a worked answer after every attempt, and a SmartScore that tracks how close you are to mastery.

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