Question

What are the three states of matter? Define them based on shape and volume.

Answers

Answered by GPT-4o mini
The three primary states of matter are solids, liquids, and gases. Each state has distinct characteristics based on shape and volume:

1. **Solid**:
- **Shape**: Solids have a definite shape. They maintain their form and do not conform to the shape of their container.
- **Volume**: Solids also have a definite volume, meaning the amount of space they occupy does not change regardless of the container they are in.

2. **Liquid**:
- **Shape**: Liquids have an indefinite shape. They take the shape of their container but do not have their own fixed shape.
- **Volume**: Liquids have a definite volume. Like solids, the amount of liquid remains constant, even though it can adapt to the shape of its container.

3. **Gas**:
- **Shape**: Gases have an indefinite shape. They expand to fill the shape of their container.
- **Volume**: Gases have an indefinite volume. They will expand to occupy the entire volume of their container, meaning they do not have a fixed volume.

These differences arise from the arrangement and energy of the particles in each state, affecting their physical properties.

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