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Difference Between Solid Liquid and Gas - Definition with FAQs

Difference Between Solid Liquid and Gas - Definition with FAQs

Team Careers360Updated on 02 Jul 2025, 05:02 PM IST

Anything which occupies space and has a mass is referred to as matter. Everything that we see around us like, water, air, animals, clothes and more, is made up of matter. The state of the matter is also a physical property of matter. Three main forms, namely solid, liquid and gas, may be present for the matter. Some compounds are present as room temperature gases (oxygen, carbon dioxide), and others are available as fluids, such as water and mercury metal at room temperature.

This Story also Contains

  1. Solids
  2. Liquids
  3. Gases
  4. Comparison between solids, liquids and gas

At normal temperatures, many metals exist as solids. Every substance exists in any of these forms. A substance can undergo a change from one state to another. The properties of solids, liquids, and gases are different from each other. Mostly due to their different configurations and the cohesive force between the molecules, solids, liquids and gases are distinct. Solid molecules are packaged together closely and their cohesive forces are strong. Solids cannot therefore fluctuate.

Compared to solids, liquid molecules are much further apart. Therefore, fluids also have weaker cohesive forces between fluid molecules, compared to solids. Compared to solid and liquid molecules, gas molecules are far more distant. There are also very lowest cohesive interactions among its molecules. This gives the flow and compression of gases. This article makes a comparison between solids, liquids and gases.

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Solids

The solids are the type of material with a rigid structure that opposes shape and volume changes. The particles in solids are tightly bound and regularly arranged. Its particle vibrates and twists frequently, but does not reveal any movement, as it is tight-knit. Solid is the matter with the highest molecular attraction. Furthermore, it is somewhat difficult to compress because their molecules have fewer gaps. The particles in solids are very close together and can thus not be squeezed or squashed normally.

Attraction forces between the particles keep and hold them together. The solid particles are regularly organized. They only move about a fixed place by vibrating. This provides solids with a stable form and does not fluidize like liquids. The warmer the solid gets, the more rapid the vibration of its particles. This means that when heated, solids expand. Ice is the solid form of water. Even if it is removed from its container, Ice maintains its form when it is frozen. But ice differs from most solids. Its molecules are packaged less tightly than in liquid water. Therefore, Ice floats. Ice floats.

Solids

Examples: Stone, Pencil, chair

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Commonly Asked Questions

Q: How does the arrangement of particles differ between crystalline and amorphous solids?
A:
In crystalline solids, particles are arranged in a regular, repeating pattern. In amorphous solids, particles are arranged randomly without a definite pattern.
Q: How do intermolecular forces affect the state of matter?
A:
Stronger intermolecular forces tend to keep particles closer together, favoring solid and liquid states. Weaker forces allow particles to separate more easily, favoring the gas state.
Q: How does the concept of cohesion differ between solids, liquids, and gases?
A:
Cohesion, the attraction between like molecules, is strongest in solids, weaker in liquids, and very weak in gases. This difference contributes to the distinct properties of each state of matter.
Q: What is the triple point of a substance?
A:
The triple point is the unique combination of temperature and pressure at which a substance can exist simultaneously in all three states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas.
Q: How does the concept of latent heat relate to changes in states of matter?
A:
Latent heat is the energy absorbed or released by a substance during a change in state without a change in temperature. It's crucial in phase transitions like melting (fusion) and vaporization.

Liquids

Liquids are fluids, they have a continuous volume, no fixed form. Liquids take the form of the container in which they are present. Liquid has a minimum surface area because of the fluid surface tension. The particles in liquids are randomly arranged and closely related to many of their neighbour particles. Some gaps exist, but fluids normally cannot be compressed or crushed.

The liquid particles have sufficient energy to release some of the attraction forces between the particles. So liquid particles can move and move about, allowing liquids to flow and to be poured. The gaseous form or condition of the water is water vapour. Water vapour is invisible, as opposed to ice or water. Whenever we breathe, we exhale water vapour. We cannot see water vapour when we exhale, but we can see the water vapour condensing (which becomes liquid).

Liquids

Examples: Water, kerosine, honey

Commonly Asked Questions

Q: How does surface tension relate to the liquid state of matter?
A:
Surface tension is the tendency of liquid surfaces to shrink into the minimum surface area possible. It results from the cohesive forces between liquid molecules and is responsible for phenomena like water beading on surfaces.
Q: What is the melting point, and how does it relate to states of matter?
A:
The melting point is the temperature at which a solid changes to a liquid at a given pressure. It marks the transition between the solid and liquid states of matter.
Q: How does the kinetic molecular theory explain the behavior of particles in different states of matter?
A:
The kinetic molecular theory states that particles are in constant motion. In solids, they vibrate; in liquids, they move and collide with nearby particles; in gases, they move rapidly and collide with container walls and other particles.
Q: What is viscosity, and how does it differ among the states of matter?
A:
Viscosity is a measure of a fluid's resistance to flow. Gases have very low viscosity, liquids have higher viscosity, and solids (which don't flow) have infinite viscosity.
Q: What is diffusion, and how does it differ in solids, liquids, and gases?
A:
Diffusion is the movement of particles from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration. It occurs fastest in gases, slower in liquids, and very slowly in solids due to differences in particle mobility.

Gases

Gas is a state that is freely diffused in every direction. Gases thus fill in whatever quantity the whole space available. It comprises no particular shape or volume of the particles. They are loosely held, and they have a lot of space for free and continuous movement between them. Particulate matter in gases is widely separated and organized at random to make it easy to compress. The particles in a gas have sufficient energy to overcome the attractive forces between the particles thus they are free to flow in any direction. They move fast in straight lines, colliding with one another and their container walls.

Gases

Examples: Oxygen, methane, air

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Commonly Asked Questions

Q: How does the boiling point relate to the transition between liquid and gas states?
A:
The boiling point is the temperature at which a liquid changes to a gas at a given pressure. It marks the transition between the liquid and gas states of matter.
Q: What is the main difference in particle movement between liquids and gases?
A:
In liquids, particles can move around each other but remain in close contact. In gases, particles move freely with large spaces between them, allowing the gas to expand to fill its container.
Q: What is the process called when a solid changes directly to a gas without passing through the liquid state?
A:
This process is called sublimation. An example is dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) changing directly into carbon dioxide gas at room temperature and pressure.
Q: How does the density of a substance typically change between solid, liquid, and gas states?
A:
Density typically decreases from solid to liquid to gas as the particles become less tightly packed. However, there are exceptions, such as water, which is less dense as a solid (ice) than as a liquid.
Q: How does pressure affect the state of matter?
A:
Increasing pressure generally favors the more condensed states of matter. For example, high pressure can cause a gas to liquefy or a liquid to solidify by forcing particles closer together.

Comparison between solids, liquids and gas

  1. Rigidity

Solids are very rigid in nature. On the other hand, liquids and gases are not rigid.

  1. Fluidity

There is no ability for solids to flow. Liquids can flow from higher to lower levels (concentration). In every direction, gas can flow.

  1. Shape and volume

Because of their hard structure, solids have distinct shapes and volumes. Liquids have a certain volume, but they lack a definite shape and they gain the shape of the container in which they are stored. There is no clear shape or volume of gases.

  1. Intramolecular interaction

Particles in a solid are tightly packaged and can vibrate, but not move. In liquids, intermolecular interaction is considerably weaker than that of solids so that there is sufficient energy for molecules or particles to move. In the case of gases, the intermolecular bond is not significant, so that the gas molecules and particles can travel freely and fast.

  1. Compressibility

It is not possible to compress solids. and liquids are compressible. Gasses can be severely compressed.

  1. Storage

Without a container or vessel solids can be easily stored. Without a vessel or container, liquids cannot be stored. Vessels are required to store gases.

Also check-

NCERT Chemistry Notes:

Commonly Asked Questions

Q: What are the three main states of matter?
A:
The three main states of matter are solid, liquid, and gas. These states differ in their physical properties due to the arrangement and behavior of particles within them.
Q: How do particles behave differently in solids, liquids, and gases?
A:
In solids, particles are tightly packed and vibrate in fixed positions. In liquids, particles are close together but can move around each other. In gases, particles are far apart and move freely in all directions.
Q: What is the primary factor that determines the state of matter?
A:
The primary factor determining the state of matter is the balance between the kinetic energy of particles and the attractive forces between them. Temperature and pressure play crucial roles in this balance.
Q: Can a substance exist in all three states of matter?
A:
Yes, many substances can exist in all three states of matter depending on temperature and pressure conditions. Water is a common example, existing as ice (solid), liquid water, and water vapor (gas).
Q: How does the volume of a substance change as it transitions from solid to liquid to gas?
A:
Generally, the volume increases as a substance transitions from solid to liquid to gas. This is due to the increasing space between particles as they gain more kinetic energy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What is the role of nucleation in phase transitions, particularly in the formation of solids from liquids?
A:
Nucleation is the initial process in the formation of a new thermodynamic phase or structure. In the transition from liquid to solid, nucleation sites serve as starting points for crystal growth. Understanding nucleation is crucial for explaining phenomena like supercooling and the formation of crystalline structures.
Q: How does the concept of surface area to volume ratio relate to the behavior of matter in different states?
A:
The surface area to volume ratio is highest for gases, lower for liquids, and lowest for solids. This ratio affects properties like reaction rates, evaporation rates, and heat transfer, which are generally faster or more efficient for substances with higher surface area to volume ratios.
Q: What is the relationship between molecular structure and the state of matter a substance typically exists in at room temperature?
A:
Molecular structure influences intermolecular forces, which in turn affect the state of matter. Generally, substances with stronger intermolecular forces (like those with hydrogen bonding or larger molecules) tend to be liquids or solids at room temperature, while those with weaker forces tend to be gases.
Q: How does pressure affect the spacing and movement of particles in different states of matter?
A:
Increased pressure generally decreases the spacing between particles and restricts their movement. This effect is most pronounced in gases, less so in liquids, and least in solids due to their different compressibilities.
Q: What is the significance of the heat of vaporization, and how does it relate to intermolecular forces?
A:
The heat of vaporization is the energy required to vaporize a unit quantity of a liquid at its boiling point. It's directly related to the strength of intermolecular forces
Q: How does the concept of dynamic equilibrium apply to phase transitions?
A:
Dynamic equilibrium in phase transitions refers to a state where the rate of particles leaving one phase equals the rate of particles returning to that phase. This concept is crucial in understanding processes like evaporation and condensation at the molecular level.
Q: What is the difference between evaporation and sublimation in terms of energy changes?
A:
Both evaporation and sublimation involve the transition to the gas phase, but evaporation occurs from the liquid state while sublimation occurs directly from the solid state. Sublimation typically requires more energy as it involves breaking stronger intermolecular bonds.
Q: How do intermolecular forces affect the boiling points of different substances?
A:
Stronger intermolecular forces result in higher boiling points because more energy is required to overcome these forces and separate the molecules into the gas phase.
Q: What is supercooling, and how does it challenge our understanding of phase transitions?
A:
Supercooling occurs when a liquid is cooled below its freezing point without solidifying. This metastable state challenges the simple view of phase transitions and demonstrates the importance of nucleation in the freezing process.
Q: What is supersaturation, and how does it relate to the stability of different states of matter?
A:
Supersaturation is a state where a solution contains more dissolved material than could be dissolved under normal circumstances. It's an unstable state that can lead to rapid crystallization, demonstrating the delicate balance between dissolved and solid states.
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