The Three States of Matter

States of Matter

• Solid
• Liquid
• Gas

Solids

• Example: Computer
• Properties:
  • Particles closely packed in fixed positions
  • Rigid
  • Cannot be squashed or compressed
  • Fixed shape
  • Fixed volume
  • Cannot flow

Liquids

• Example: Water
• Properties:
  • Particles closely packed but can move around each other
  • Not rigid
  • Cannot be squashed or compressed
  • Fixed volume
  • Do not have a fixed shape
  • Can flow

Note: Liquids have a fixed volume even though they don't have a fixed shape. Example: A pint of beer poured into different containers remains a pint.

Gases

• Example: Helium
• Properties:
  • Particles are far apart
  • Not rigid
  • Can be squashed or compressed
  • No fixed shape
  • No fixed volume
  • Fill the entire space they are in