
Some Characteristics of Gases, Liquids and Solids and the Microscopic Explanation for the Behavior
gas | liquid | solid |
assumes the shape and volume of its cont ... | assumes the shape of the part of the con ... | retains a fixed volume and shape rigid - ... |
compressible lots of free space between ... | not easily compressible little free spac ... | not easily compressible little free spac ... |
flows easily particles can move past one ... | flows easily particles can move/slide pa ... | does not flow easily rigid - particles c ... |
How do particles in a solid become a liquid?
- The particles that form a liquid are relatively close together, but not as close together as the particles in the corresponding solid.
- The particles in a liquid have more kinetic energy than the particles in the corresponding solid.
- As a result, the particles in a liquid move faster in terms of vibration, rotation, and translation.
What are particles in solids liquids and gases always doing?
What are the 5 points of particle theory?
- All matter is made of particles.
- Particles have space between them.
- Particles are always moving.
- Particles move faster and get farther apart when heated.
- Particles are attracted to each other.
- All Particles of the same substance are identical.
What are some types of solid, liquid and gas?
The most common phase transitions are:
- Freezing: Freezing is the transition from a liquid to a solid.
- Deposition: Deposition is the transition from a gas directly to a solid.
- Melting: Melting occurs when a solid changes into a liquid.
- Condensation: Condensation is when a gas transitions into a liquid.
- Sublimation: Sublimation is the change from a solid into a gas:
What are some properties of a solid liquid and gas?
Solids, liquids and gases
- Matter is everything around us. Matter can be a confusing word because it has several meanings. ...
- Solid. Right now, you are probably sitting on a chair, using a mouse or a keyboard that is resting on a desk – all these things are solids.
- Liquid. ...
- Gas. ...
- Other states of matter. ...

How do the particles in a solid liquid and gas differ?
The particles in the solid are touching with very little space between them. The particles in a liquid usually are still touching but there are some spaces between them. The gas particles have big distances between them.
How do particles move in a solid liquid and gas?
- The particles of a gas move quickly and are able to spread apart from one another. - The particles of a liquid are able to move past each other. - The particles of a solid are not able to move out of their positions relative to one another, but do have small vibrational movements.
How will you describe the particles in solid?
In a solid, the particles pack together as tightly as possible in a neat and ordered arrangement. The particles are held together too strongly to allow movement from place to place but the particles do vibrate about their position in the structure.
What are gas particles?
Gases consist of particles (molecules or atoms) that are in constant random motion. Gas particles are constantly colliding with each other and the walls of their container. These collisions are elastic; that is, there is no net loss of energy from the collisions.
How will you describe the particles in gas the particles?
In a gas, the particles have very little attraction to each other. They are very far apart compared to the particles in a solid or liquid, and are constantly moving. The particles don't interact with one another but just hit and bounce off of each other when they collide.
What are particles of liquid?
Solids, liquids, and gases are made of tiny particles called atoms and molecules. In a solid, the particles are very attracted to each other. They are close together and vibrate in position but don't move past one another. In a liquid, the particles are attracted to each other but not as much as they are in a solid.
How are particles arranged in a liquid?
The particles in a liquid are loosely arranged which means they do not have a fixed shape like solids, but they rather take the shape of the container they are in. The speed at which the particles move around inside the liquid depends on the energy of the particles.
What similarities can you see among the particles of solid liquid and gas?
Sold, liquid, and gas all have volume and shape. They are all made up of atoms, molecules, or ions. Liquids and solids can be referred to as condensed phased because their particles are close together. Liquids and gases flow easily because their particles can move or slide past one another.
What are the particles in a liquid?
The particles in a liquid have small spaces between them, but not as small as in solids. The particles in a liquid are loosely arranged which means they do not have a fixed shape like solids, but they rather take the shape of the container they are in.
What is the difference between liquid and gas?
The particles in a liquid are close together (touching) but they are able to move/slide/flow past each other. The particles in a gas are fast moving and are able to spread apart from each other.
What is the molecular arrangement of a solid?
The molecular arrangement in solids is a highly organized, tightly-packed pattern with small spaces and molecular motion reduced to vibration in place .
Do liquids have definite volume?
Liquids have definite volume, but indefinite shape. They are free to form droplets and puddles when they are not inside a container. When a liquid is inside a container, it will take its shape. Unlike gases, a liquid will not change its volume to spread out and completely fill a container. Similar Asks.
How do gases become solids?
Gases may deposit into solids (deposition) Increasing pressure and decreasing temperature forces atoms and molecules closer to each other so their arrangement becomes more ordered. Gases become liquids; liquids become solids. On the other hand, increasing temperature and decreasing pressure allows particles to move father apart.
What are the three main states of matter?
Key Takeaways: Examples of Solids, Liquids, and Gases. The three main states of matter are solid, liquid, and gas. Plasma is the fourth state of matter. Several exotic states also exist. A solid has a defined shape and volume. A common example is ice. A liquid has a defined volume, but can change state. An example is liquid water.
What happens to matter during phase change?
Depending on the temperature and pressure, the matter may transition from one state into another: Solids may melt into liquids. Solids may sublimate into gases ( sublimation) Liquids may vaporize into gases. Liquids may freeze into solids.
Can a solid become a gas?
Solids become liquids; liquids become gases. Depending on the conditions , a substance may skip a phase, so a solid may become a gas or a gas may become a solid without experiencing the liquid phase. Cite this Article.
What are the particles in a diagram?
Particle arrangement and movement. The particles in the diagrams could be atoms, molecules or ions depending on the type of substance, eg ionic compounds, small molecules, giant molecules, and metals.
What are the three states of matter?
The three states of matter are solid, liquid and gas . The particle model represents particles by small, solid spheres. It describes the arrangement, movement and energy of particles in a substance. The model can be used to explain the physical properties of solids, liquids and gases.
Does a particle have the properties of the material it is part of?
A single particle does not have the properties of the material it is part of. The properties of a substance are the properties of a huge number of particles together.
What is matter made of?
As discovered by scientists, the matter is made up of very tiny particles and these particles are so small that we cannot see them with naked eyes. It has been observed that matter exists in nature in different forms. Some substances are rigid and have a fixed shape like wood and stone; some substances can flow and take the shape ...
What is matter chemistry?
Chemistry deals with the study of behaviour of – matter Chemistry is concerned with the – Composition, structure and properties of matter and the phenomenon which occurs when different kinds of matter undergo changes. Matter theory covers the changing ideas and systems that were used to describe and explain the material world.
Why are liquids so difficult to compress?
Liquids are difficult to compress as particles have less space between them to move. Liquids have fixed volume but no fixed shape. The rate of diffusion in liquids is higher than that of solids. Force of attraction between the particles is weaker than solids. Example of a liquid state of matter: water, milk, blood, coffee, etc.
Why is it hard to compress solids?
In solids, particles are tightly or closely packed. The gaps between the particles are tiny and hence it is tough to compress them. Solid has a fixed shape and volume. Due to its rigid nature, particles in solid can only vibrate about their mean position and cannot move.
What is the study of matter?
Chemistry is the study of the composition of matter and its transformation. Another term often considered synonymous with matter is substance, but a substance has a more limited definition in chemistry. Chemistry deals with the study of behaviour of – matter Chemistry is concerned with the – Composition, structure and properties of matter and the phenomenon which occurs when different kinds of matter undergo changes.
How many states of matter are there?
Following are the basic three states of matter: Apart from the above mentioned three, there are 2 more states of matter which we do not see in our everyday life.
Can matter be destroyed?
In addition, the first law of thermodynamics does not state that matter can not be created or destroyed, but rather that the total amount of energy in a closed system can not be created or destroyed although it can be modified from one form to another.
What is the movement of particles in liquids and gases?
The particles in liquids and gases are constantly moving. Their movements are unpredictable: we say the particles move randomly. It is the random movement of the particles that allow liquid and gaseous substances to diffuse.
Which theory describes matter in terms of particles?
The theory that describes matter in terms of particles is called the particle model of matter. It helps us to understand the macroscopic properties of a material in terms of the behaviour of the particles in that material. The particle model describes the particles in solids as follows:
Why use particle model of matter?
Use the particle model of matter to explain why solids have a fixed shape, but gases fill the shape of the container they are in.
Why is diffusion slower in liquids than in gases?
This means the rate of diffusion is much slower in liquids than in gases, because the particles of a gas are further apart and collide much less.
What happens to the gas when the temperature is lowered?
When the temperature of a gas is lowered, it takes energy away from the gas particles. The movement of gas particles slows down as their energy decreases and they will start to experience attractive forces. These forces cause them to move closer to each other and they eventually return to the liquid state.
What are the three states of matter?
For any matter, the individual particles of that matter are exactly the same in all three states, solid, liquid and gas . It is the behaviour of the particles that changes in each state. This video shows us the different ways that particles behave in the solid, liquid and gas eous states.
How does matter change from one state to another?
For matter to change from one state to another, its particles must gain or lose energy. The following diagram shows us that to change the state of a substance, it must either be heated or cooled.

Examples of Solids
Examples of Liquids
- Liquids are a form of matter that has a definite volumebut no defined shape. Liquids can flow and assume the shape of their container. 1. Water 2. Milk 3. Blood 4. Urine 5. Gasoline 6. Mercury (an element) 7. Bromine (an element) 8. Wine 9. Rubbing alcohol 10. Honey 11. Coffee
Examples of Gases
- A gas isa form of matter that does not have a defined shape or volume. Gases expand to fill the space they are given. 1. Air 2. Helium 3. Nitrogen 4. Freon 5. Carbon dioxide 6. Water vapor 7. Hydrogen 8. Natural gas 9. Propane 10. Oxygen 11. Ozone 12. Hydrogen sulfide
Phase Changes
- Depending on the temperature and pressure, the matter may transition from one state into another: 1. Solids may melt into liquids 2. Solids may sublimate into gases (sublimation) 3. Liquids may vaporize into gases 4. Liquids may freeze into solids 5. Gases may condense into liquids 6. Gases may deposit into solids (deposition) Increasing pressure a...