Phases of Matter

The 3 different phases of matter are solid, liquid and gas.

1. SOLIDS

• Solids have two important characteristics: definite mass and volume.

The particles in a solid are closely packed together. The movement of particles in a solid is what we would call a vibration.

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

• Examples: Ice, sugar, metal, coin . . . Ice hotel!

2. LIQUIDS• Liquids do not have

any specific shape, but take the shape of the container in which they are placed. They do have a definite volume.

• The particles in a liquid are close together but are free to move around each other.

• Example: water, honey, motor oil

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

3. GAS

• Gases do not have a definite shape or volume. A gas fills the space available.

• The particles in a gas are spread very far apart from one another. There is a lot of empty space between each particle

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

• When matter is converted from a solid (ice) to a liquid (water), and to a gas (steam), heat energy is required. The density of a substance is decreased with the addition of more energy.

Hot Air Balloons

Rail Roads and Thermal Expansion

Sources• http://www.splung.com/heat/images/phases/phasechange.png• http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/Imgs/Jpg/Monitoring/Gas/GasMageik_large.j

pg• http://www.learner.org/channel/courses/essential/physicalsci/images/sol

id.jpg• http://granular.che.pitt.edu/~mccarthy/che1011/Intro/conduction.gif• http://www.hickerphoto.com/data/media/25/ice-hotel-T0712.jpg• http://www.elsiesdaughter.com/heart.jpg• http://itl.chem.ufl.edu/2045/lectures/FG11_001.GIF• http://www.desktopscenes.com/Scenes%20from%20Yellowstone

%20(2003)/Steam%20Reflections.jpg• http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/arizona/events-and-

holidays.php• http://www.scienceclarified.com/everyday/images/scet_02_img0171.jpg