Science Assessment ~ Topics ~ Atoms, Molecules, and States of Matter ~ Misconception AMM015

Observable properties of the state are attributed to the individual molecules (e.g., molecules in a solid are hard; molecules move in gases and liquids, but not in solids; or the molecules of the substance change from soft to hard when a liquid freezes) (Lee et al., 1993).

Items that test for misconception AMM015 in this project (Original Project) and key idea (There are differences in the spacin…)
Item ID Number	Item Description	How Often the Misconception was Chosen
AM033003	Ice is harder than liquid water because the molecules of ice are linked more tightly together than the molecules of liquid water.	24%
AM071002	Liquid candle wax flows but solid candle wax does not because the molecules of liquid candle wax can easily move past one another but the molecules of solid candle wax cannot.	17%
AM068003	Gases can be compressed more easily than solids because the molecules of gases are farther apart than the molecules of solids.	17%
AM057005	Liquid water takes the shape of a cup it is poured into but solid ice cubes do not, because the molecules of liquid water can easily move past one another but the molecules of solid ice cannot.	12%
AM056003	The molecules of a gas are far apart from one another.	9%

Items that test for misconception AMM015 in this project (Original Project) and other key ideas
AM028003	When a substance changes from a liquid to a solid, the molecules of the substance connect more strongly to one another.	19%