(states of matter)

• what is the structure of a solid?

  strong forces of attraction between particles which hold them together in fixed positions in a regular lattice arrangement
• what is the structure of a liquid?

  some force of attraction between particles, they're free to move past each other, but they do tend to stick together
• what is the structure of a gas?

  next to no forces of attraction between particles, they're free to move. they travel in straight lines and only interact when they collide
• what shape and volumes are solids?

  the particles don't move from their positions, so all solids keep a definite shape and volume
• what shape and volume are liquids?

  liquids don't keep a definite shape and will flow to fill the bottom of a container but they do keep a definite volume
• what shape and volume are gases?

  they don't keep a definite shape or volume and will always fill any container. when particles bounce off the walls of a container they exert a pressure on the walls
• how much energy is in solids?

  the particles in a solid don't have much energy
• how much energy is in liquids?

  for any given substance, in the liquid state its particles will have more energy than in the solid state (but less energy than in the gas state)
• how much energy is in gases?


  for any given substance, in the gas state its particles will have more energy than in the solid or the liquid state
• how does heat affect solids?

  particles vibrate about their fixed positions. the hotter the solid becomes, the more they vibrate (causing solids to expand slightly when heated)
• how does heat affect liquids?

  particles move constantly with random motion. the hotter the liquid gets, the faster they move, causing liquids to expand slightly when heated
• how does heat affect gases?

  particles move constantly with random motion. the hotter the gas gets, the faster they move, meaning they either expand when heated, or their pressure increases
• what is going from a gas to a liquid called?

  condensing
• what is going from a solid to a gas called?

  subliming
• what is the difference between chemical and physical changes?

  chemical changes are hard to reverse
• when do chemical changes happen?

  during chemical reactions, when bonds between atoms break and the atoms change places. the atoms from the reactants are rearranged to form the products
• what direction does kinetic energy move in a solid?

  down
• what direction does kinetic energy move in a liquid?

  up
• what direction does kinetic energy move in a gas?

  up