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Standard 4.0 Chemistry

Topic C. States of Matter

Indicator 1. Provide evidence from investigations to identify the processes that can be used to change materials from one state of matter to another.

Objective b. Based on data explain the importance of water's ability to exist in all three states within the temperatures normally found on Earth.

Selected Response Item

Seawater contains a number of different salts. The water can be separated by a process called distillation. A simple distillation setup is shown below.

Question Image

The water in the flask evaporates. Water vapor (gas) rises, leaving the salt in the flask. The water vapor is cooled in the condensing tube and drips into the beaker.

Salt water and fresh water are both found on the surface of Earth.

What feature of water is most important to life on Earth?

  1. the ability to dissolve salt
  2. the ability to change shape
  3. the ability to exist in the atmosphere
  4. the ability to exist as a solid, liquid, or gas
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Correct Answer:
D