To accurately determine which student is correct regarding the ranking of states of matter by their potential energy, it's essential to understand the general trend in potential energy based on the states of matter:
- Solid: Particles are closely packed in a fixed arrangement, resulting in low potential energy.
- Liquid: Particles are still close but can move past each other, resulting in higher potential energy than solids.
- Gas: Particles are far apart and move freely, leading to the highest potential energy among the three states.
Therefore, the correct ranking from lowest to highest potential energy should be:
Solid < Liquid < Gas
If you have the specific rankings provided by each student, please share them so I can identify which student is correct.