The states of matter—solid, liquid, and gas—are closely related to thermal energy (or temperature), as temperature measures how much thermal energy the particles in a substance have, affecting how they move and behave.
1. Solid: In a solid, the particles are tightly packed together and vibrate in place, so they have low thermal energy and keep their shape.
2. Liquid: In a liquid, the particles are still close together but can slide past each other, which allows them to take the shape of their container as they gain a bit more thermal energy.
3. Gas: In a gas, the particles are far apart and move quickly in all directions because they have high thermal energy, allowing them to fill the entire space of their container.
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