CHEMISTRY

The Particulate Nature of Matter

The States of Matter
Solids, Liquids and Gases
Matter – Anything that has mass and takes up space. There are three physical
states : solid, liquid and gas.
Solids

• Strong forces of attraction between particles, particles are packed very

closely together in a fixed and regular pattern.
• Atoms vibrate in position but can’t change position or move.
• Solids have a fixed volume, shape and high density.

Liquids

• Weaker attractive forces in liquids than in solids, particles are close

together in an irregular, unfixed pattern.
• Particles can move and slide past each other which is why liquids adopt the
shape of the container they’re in and also why they are able to flow.
• Liquids have a fixed volume but not a fixed shape and have a moderate to
high density.

Gases

• No intermolecular forces and, since particles are in random movement,

there is no defined pattern.
• Particles are far apart and move quickly (around 500 m/s) in all directions,
they collide with each other and with the sides of the container (this is how
pressure is created inside a can of gas).
• No fixed volume, since there is a lot of space between the particles, gases
can be compressed into a much smaller volume. Gases have low density.
 The arrangement of particles in solids, liquids and gases

Q 1. Describe the arrangement and motion of the particles in the liquid stearic
acid.

Q 2. Sand and salt (sodium chloride) are both solids. Describe the arrangement
and movement of particles in a solid.