States of Matter
States of Matter
Solid
- A solid has a fixed volume and shape due to strong intermolecular forces and close packing of particles.
- The particle are unable to move freely; they only vibrate on the spot.
- Solid particles are in a regular arrangement.
- Solids cannot be compressed or squash.
Liquid
- A liquid has a fixed volume but takes the shape of its container because the intermolecular forces are weaker than in solids and particle proximity is still close but not regularly arranged.
- Liquids can move, and slide past each other.
- Liquids are unable to be compressed or squash.
Gas
- A gas fills the entire volume of its container due to very weak intermolecular forces. It can also change shape.
- Gas particles are well separated and move randomly and quickly.
- Gases can be compressed.
Change of States
- Melting is changing from a solid state to a liquid state.
- Freezing is changing from a liquid state to a solid state.
- Vaporization refers to a phase transition from the liquid phase to gas.
- Evaporation is a type of vaporization that occurs on the surface of a liquid as it changes into the gas phase.
- Condensation is the change of a substance from a gas to a liquid.
- Sublimation is the process of transformation directly from the solid phase to the gas phase without passing through an intermediate liquid phase.
- Deposition is the process where the gas transforms into solid without passing through the liquid phase.
Diffusion
- Diffusion occurs when particles spread out through random motion. It's faster in gases than in liquids and solids.
- The rate of diffusion depends on temperature, mass of particles and density of the substance.