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Melting, Freezing and Evaporation: Heat It, Cool It!

Melting, Freezing and Evaporation: Heat It, Cool It!

Learn how melting, freezing and evaporation change materials, then heat ice, read thermometers and dry puddles in a hands-on science game.

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What you'll learn

  • Heating makes solids melt and cooling makes liquids freeze
  • How to read a thermometer in degrees Celsius, including below zero
  • Ice melts and water freezes at 0°C; water boils at 100°C
  • Evaporation happens at any temperature, but faster when it is warmer
  • Condensation is a gas cooling back into a liquid
  • How evaporation and condensation drive the water cycle

Chapter by chapter

  1. Melting and freezing: heating and cooling change state

    Year 4 science · 1

  2. Melting and freezing points: measuring in °C

    Year 4 science · 1

  3. Boiling and evaporation: liquid to gas

    Year 4 science · 1 Year 4 science · 2

  4. Evaporation and temperature: faster when it's warmer

    Year 4 science · 2

  5. Condensation: gas cooling back into a liquid

    Year 4 science · 2

  6. The water cycle: evaporation and condensation

    Year 4 science · 2

  7. Changing states challenge (10 questions)

What the chapters cover in the national curriculum in England:

  1. Year 4 science: Observe that some materials change state when they are heated or cooled, and measure or research the temperature at which this happens in degrees Celsius (°C)
  2. Year 4 science: Identify the part played by evaporation and condensation in the water cycle and associate the rate of evaporation with temperature

About this adventure

Melting, Freezing and Evaporation is an interactive science game that teaches children aged 7–10 how materials change state when they are heated or cooled, and the part evaporation and condensation play in the water cycle. It follows the Year 4 states of matter topic in the national curriculum for England.

Players melt an ice cube with the sun, freeze water in a freezer and use a thermometer to find the melting point of ice (0°C) and the boiling point of water (100°C). They spot invisible water vapour above a kettle, run a fair test to see that warmer water evaporates faster, and watch condensation form on a cold can.

A spoken narrator guides every step with short captions. Children type temperatures in degrees Celsius (°C) as well as answering choice questions, and a 10-question challenge checks what they remember.

Questions and answers

What is the difference between melting and freezing?

Melting is when a solid turns into a liquid because it is heated, like ice turning into water. Freezing is the opposite: a liquid cools down and turns into a solid. For water, both happen at 0°C.

Does water have to boil to evaporate?

No, water can evaporate at any temperature, even on a cold day. Boiling happens at 100°C and is very fast, but a puddle at 12°C still slowly turns into water vapour. The warmer the water, the faster it evaporates.

Why do water drops appear on a cold can of drink?

The drops come from water vapour in the air, not from inside the can. When the invisible vapour touches the cold metal, it cools down and condenses into tiny drops of liquid water. This change is called condensation.

What age is this melting and freezing game for?

It is made for children aged 7 to 10, and matches the Year 4 states of matter topic in the national curriculum for England. Younger players can follow along with help, because a narrator reads every instruction aloud.

What does the game include and how long does it take?

The game has a quick solids, liquids and gases refresher, six chapters and a 10-question final challenge. Playing everything takes about 45 minutes, and each chapter can be played on its own in roughly 6 to 8 minutes.

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