Original Project
Substances, Chemical Reactions, and Conservation of Matter
Item SC064008: Two liquids with the same density and color but different boiling points are different substances. (This item uses a table that lists properties of the liquids.)
A student determines the volume, density, and boiling point of three colorless liquids and lists them in the table below.
|
Volume (mL) |
Density (g/mL) |
Boiling Point (°C) |
Color | |
| Liquid 1 | 10 | 0.79 | 56 | colorless |
| Liquid 2 | 50 | 0.79 | 78 | colorless |
| Liquid 3 | 10 | 1.0 | 100 | colorless |
Could any of the liquids be made of the same substance and why?
- Liquids 1 and 2 could be the same substance because they have the same density.
- Liquids 1 and 3 could be the same substance because they have the same volume.
- Liquids 1, 2, and 3 could be the same substance because they are all clear liquids.
- None of the liquids could be the same substance because they have different combinations of density, boiling point, and color.
- Distribution of Responses
- Students Responding Correctly
| Group | Correct | Total | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 808 | 1941 | 42% |
| Grades | |||
| 6–8 | 336 | 823 | 41% |
| 9–12 | 467 | 1098 | 43% |
| Gender | |||
| Male | 384 | 910 | 42% |
| Female | 405 | 991 | 41% |
| Primary Language | |||
| English | 712 | 1693 | 42% |
| Other | 70 | 189 | 37% |
- Disciplinary Core Ideas
- PS1.A Each pure substance has characteristic physical and chemical properties (for any bulk quantity under given conditions) that can be used to identify it.
- NRC Framework
- Patterns: …objects can be classified into groups on the basis of similarities of visible or microscopic features or on the basis of similarities of function…