Matter

Key Questions

  • There are three stages of matter, solid, liquid, and gas.

    Solid:
    Particles in a solid are very closely packed, with seemingly no room to move around. This is why solids are hard and rigid. The molecules within a solid are so densely packed, they have no room to move or bend, therefore they hold their shape. Solids will not take the shape of their container, and have a definite shape and volume.

    Solid Particles

    Liquid:
    Particles within a liquid possess room to move around, but not enough energy to become a gas. Molecules in a liquid are able to slide and move past each other which allows the liquid to change shape. Loosely packed particles in a liquid allow the liquid to change to take the shape of their container. Liquids will change shape, and have a definite volume.
    Liquid Particles

    Gas:
    Particles in a gas are relatively far away from each other. Their only boundary is when the particles either bounce off each other or their container. Gasses will completely fill their container and have no definite shape or volume.
    Gas Particles

    States of Matter

  • Everything around us which has some mass and occupies some space is known as matter. Matter is made up of tiny particles called atoms and molecules. For Example, NaOH,
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    These NaOH crystals can also be considered as matter and each of these crystals are composed of millions and trillions of atoms.Not only this NaOH, infact your study table, pen, pencil and our bodies too can be considered as matter. Depending on the fact that how these atoms are arranged,in different substances we can classify matter into it's 5 states:-

    • SOLIDS
    • LIQUIDS
    • GASES
    • PLASMA
    • BOSE- EINSTIEN CONDENSATE

Questions