STATES OF MATTER

• SUBSTANCES -  A matter which has a specific composition and specific properties

  • Every pure element or compound is a substance
• All substance, at least in principle, can exist in three states: SOLID, LIQUID, AND GAS
• SOLID, LIQUID, AND GAS are all made up of microscopic particles, but the BEHAVIORS of these particle DIFFER in the three states.
• SOLID - Has a fixed Shape that does not fit to the container shape.
• LIQUID - It fits into the container shape but fills the container only to the extent of the liquid volume; thus a liquid forms a surface.
• GAS - It also conforms the container shape, but it fills the entire container, and thus, does not form a surface.
• DIFFERENCES

  
  

  • Gases differ from liquids and solids in the DISTANCES BETWEEN THE MOLECULES.
• Example on how these three states of matter works.

   

  ( The three states of matter can be interconverted without changing the composition of the substance.)

   

  1. Upon heating, a solid (block of ice) will melt to form a liquid (water). (The temperature at which this transition is called the melting point.)
  2. Further heating will convert the liquid into a gas (This conversion takes place at the boiling point of the liquid.)
  3. On the other hand, cooling a gas will cause it to condense into a liquid.
  4. When the liquid is cooled further, it will freeze into the solid form.
• In a solid, molecules are HELD CLOSE TOGETHER orderly with freedom of motion.
• • Molecules in liquids are CLOSE together but are not held so rigidly in position and CAN MOVE PAST ONE ANOTHER.
• • In a gas, the molecules are SEPARATED by distances that are large compared with the size of the molecules. 
• Atoms and molecules have kinetic energies due to their random motions.
• A change of state occurs when there is an increase or decrease in energy of the particles.