Aim: How do we observe changes

and make predictions of change?

Mr. Lapsley
Earth Science

Created by: Mr. Brandt

I. What are changes?
 Change: when something becomes different.
 When a change happens, we call it an event.
 Changes can happen very fast (like a bolt of lightning
striking Earth’s surface) or very slow (like the
continents changing position).

Think-Pair-Share: Work with the person next to

you to make a list of more examples of changes
that occur in the natural world.
EXAMPLES OF CHANGES
II. Changes in Matter
 Matter changes when you add or
remove heat energy.

A. It can change state.

(Solid-Liquid-Gas)

B. Its volume can change.

(If you add heat, volume
increases.)
 II. Cyclic Changes
 Cyclic changes: Changes that happen in
patterns that repeat.
 Cycles make it easy to predict what will
happen in the future!
Making Predictions Based on
Cycles

Talk with a partner to try to think of a

cycle you observe in your everyday
life.

How does this cycle help you predict

things that will happen?
III. Equilibrium
 Equilibrium: when a system stays
the same.

 Dynamic equilibrium: when a

system stays the same because
changes balance or cancel each
other out.

Can you think of any examples of

dynamic equilibrium?
 III. Environmental Equilibrium (2)
 One example of dynamic equilibrium is a
lake. The water level remains almost
constant, even though water is flowing in
and out of the lake.

 Static equilibrium: when a system does

not change at all.
 Think about equilibrium!
Answer these in your notebook!
 (1) Billy is filling his tub with water at a rate of 5 L/min. He forgot
to stop the drain, and his bathtub is draining at a rate of 4 L/min.
Is the water in Billy’s tub in a state of dynamic equilibrium?
Why/why not?

 (2) A rock is sitting on Mr. Brandt’s desk. It’s been there for weeks
without any observable changes. Is the rock in a state of dynamic
equilibrium? Why/why not?