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Temperature and evaporation: plan

Lesson details

Learning outcome

I can plan how to investigate how temperature affects the rate of evaporation.

Key learning points

  1. Evaporation can take place at any temperature.
  2. Scientists investigate how temperature affects how quickly a liquid evaporates to a gas.
  3. A fair test investigation involves controlling variables so that only one thing is changed.

Keywords

  • Evaporation - To evaporate is to change from a liquid to a gas.

  • Temperature - Temperature is a measure of how hot or cold something is.

  • Affect - To affect something is to influence or change it.

  • Variables - Variables are the things that can be changed, measured or kept the same in a comparative or fair test.

Common misconception

Children may believe that water cannot exist in a gas state because they cannot see it. They may also think that evaporation only occurs at high temperatures.

Teaching slides explain the existence of water vapour, even though it is invisible. By investigation, children observe and measure that evaporation occurs at all temperatures.

Teacher tip

When planning the investigation, encourage children to come up with and discuss a range of possible ideas, including their pros and cons, before they are given time to write down their chosen plan.

Equipment

This is a planning lesson, but it may help children to plan if they have access to thermometers and small dishes or pieces of fabric that could be used to hold water.

Content guidance

Risk assessment required - equipment

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
(Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
In which state is water vapour?

solid
liquid
Correct answer: gas

Q2.
What is water in the solid state called?

Correct Answer: ice

Q3.
Which of these states can flow?

Correct answer: solid state
liquid state
Correct answer: gas state

Q4.
Match the process to the state change which would result.

Correct Answer:heating,liquid to gas

liquid to gas

Correct Answer:cooling,gas to liquid

gas to liquid

Q5.
Which of these will change water from its liquid to its gas state?

thermometer
freezer
Correct answer: cooker
fridge

Q6.
Match the name of the process to the description.

Correct Answer:evaporation,the change of state from liquid to gas

the change of state from liquid to gas

Correct Answer:condensation,the change of state from gas to liquid

the change of state from gas to liquid

6 Questions

Q1.
In which state does water expand to fill the whole of its container?

solid
liquid
Correct answer: gas

Q2.
What process causes wet washing to dry?

Correct answer: evaporation
condensation
freezing
melting

Q3.
What is evaporation?

the change of state from gas to liquid
Correct answer: the change of state from liquid to gas
the change of state from solid to liquid

Q4.
At what temperature can evaporation of a liquid take place?

only above 10°C
only above 50°C
Correct answer: at any temperature

Q5.
Which of these things, that can be investigated by scientists, can affect how quickly a liquid evaporates to a gas?

Correct answer: temperature
noise
light

Q6.
In a fair test investigation, how many variables should be changed?

0
Correct answer: 1
2
any number

To help you plan your 4 science lesson on: Temperature and evaporation: plan, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...