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States of Matter and Particle Behavior

Jun 20, 2025

Overview

This lecture covers the three states of matter, their particle structures, changes of state, heating/cooling curves, and diffusion, including how temperature, pressure, and molecular mass affect gases.

States of Matter

  • Matter is anything with mass that occupies space.
  • There are three states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas.
  • Solids have a fixed shape and volume; particles are tightly packed.
  • Liquids have a fixed volume but take the shape of their container; particles are less tightly packed than solids.
  • Gases have neither a fixed shape nor volume; particles are far apart and move freely.

Particle Structure and Motion

  • Solid particles are very close together in a regular, ordered arrangement and only vibrate in place.
  • Liquid particles are slightly separated, arranged randomly, and can slide past each other.
  • Gas particles are widely separated, highly disordered, and move rapidly in all directions.

Changes of State

  • Melting: solid to liquid at the melting point as particles gain kinetic energy (e.g., ice to water at 0°C).
  • Boiling: liquid to gas at the boiling point as particles gain more kinetic energy (e.g., water to vapor at 100°C).
  • Evaporation: gradual change from liquid to gas at temperatures below boiling point.
  • Condensing: gas to liquid as particles lose energy and come closer together.
  • Freezing: liquid to solid at the freezing point as particles lose kinetic energy (e.g., water to ice at 0°C).

Heating and Cooling Curves

  • Heating curves show temperature changes as a substance is heated; temperature stays constant during state changes.
  • Cooling curves show temperature drops as a substance cools from gas to liquid to solid; temperature remains steady during state changes.

Gas Volume and Pressure

  • Increasing temperature increases gas particle motion and volume.
  • Increasing pressure reduces the volume of a gas by forcing particles closer together.
  • Decreasing pressure allows gas particles to spread out, increasing volume.

Diffusion and Relative Molecular Mass

  • Diffusion is the spreading of particles from high to low concentration due to random motion.
  • Lighter gases (lower molecular mass) diffuse faster than heavier gases (higher molecular mass).

Key Terms & Definitions

  • Matter — Anything with mass that takes up space.
  • Solid — State of matter with fixed shape and volume, tightly packed particles.
  • Liquid — State with fixed volume, takes container's shape, particles can slide past each other.
  • Gas — State with no fixed shape or volume, particles move freely.
  • Melting Point — Temperature at which a solid turns to liquid.
  • Boiling Point — Temperature at which a liquid turns to gas.
  • Diffusion — Movement of particles from high to low concentration.
  • Relative Molecular Mass — The mass of a molecule compared to one-twelfth of the mass of a carbon-12 atom.

Action Items / Next Steps

  • Revise the properties and changes of state for solids, liquids, and gases.
  • Practice drawing and interpreting heating and cooling curves.
  • Study the effects of temperature and pressure on gas volume.
  • Review the definition and examples of diffusion.