Matter in Motion: Teaching Reversible Change with Merge EDU

The beginning of the school year often brings foundational science concepts to the forefront, and few are more essential—or more visual—than the states of matter. For students in upper elementary and middle school, exploring how solids become liquids, and liquids turn to gas, helps build their understanding of how energy affects the world around them. But this isn’t just about vocabulary—it’s about grasping transformation, energy, and the dynamic nature of the materials we encounter every day.

That’s why Merge EDU is such a powerful tool in science classrooms. With the Merge Cube and the Merge Explorer app, abstract topics like state change become tangible, interactive, and even a little magical. One of the best examples of this is the “Reversible Change” activity in Merge Explorer, where students don’t just read about matter changing states—they watch it unfold in their own hands.

In this simulation, students witness a substance transform from a solid to a liquid and then into a gas—all driven by the input of thermal energy. As the substance heats up, its molecules gain energy and begin to move faster, causing the matter to expand and change form. What makes this simulation so compelling is that it doesn’t stop there. It shows the full cycle. Students also reverse the process, cooling the gas (steam) to see it condense back into a liquid (water) and finally freeze into a solid again (ice). These changes happen in real-time, right on the Merge Cube, providing a visual and tactile experience that deepens understanding in a way textbooks alone can’t.

Reversible Change

Any substance can exist in 3 different states: solid, liquid, or gas. The molecules inside stay the same, but by heating or cooling the molecules, we can give them more energy or take energy away. When molecules gain energy, they spread out, transforming the substance from solid to liquid and then to gas. This change is reversible, meaning we can undo it by cooling the substance. Try it out!

Merge Explorer

This kind of interactivity is especially important when dealing with concepts that are otherwise invisible. With Merge EDU, the science isn’t distant or theoretical—it’s in their hands.

The “Reversible Change” activity is a perfect fit for the start of the school year, when teachers are introducing core physical science standards like matter, energy, and temperature. These early lessons lay the groundwork for everything from weather systems to chemical reactions later in the year. And because it’s aligned with NGSS and other US state and international science standards, it easily integrates into any existing science program.

Types of Reactions

The substances around us consists of atoms and molecules that can go through changes. Some of these changes are reversible, like when ice melts and then freezes again. Some are chemical reactions where one substance transforms into another, like when wood burns and becomes ash. In these activities, be the mastermind behind different types of reactions as you tinker with atoms and molecules.

Merge Explorer

Educators also benefit from the activity plans that accompany the simulations in Merge Explorer. They offer essential questions, vocabulary, and ideas for discussion or extension. And as Google Docs, they are fully editable and easy to customize to accommodate student needs. 

Many teachers even take advantage of the screen recording feature inside Merge EDU apps, allowing students to capture their explanations and reflect on their learning—a great option for science notebooks, portfolios, or formative assessments.

Why Merge EDU Is a Perfect Fit for Every Type of School

No matter what kind of school you lead, Merge EDU provides the tools and support to transform how your students learn, explore, and grow.

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At its heart, the reversible change lesson isn’t just about melting ice or boiling water. It’s about helping students see that matter is always in motion—that energy can reshape the world, and then reshape it again. Merge EDU gives students a front-row seat to that transformation, making science vivid, memorable, and real.

Ready to explore how Merge EDU can bring your science lessons to life?

Sign up for a free trial and discover how the Merge Cube can help your students experience states of matter like never before!