Phases of Matter

Phases of Matter

Matter can take 4 different phases or states:– Solid– Liquid– Gas– Plasma

Solids

• Solids are substances that have a definite shape and a definite volume.

• In other words, the shape of a solid never changes, nor does the space it takes up (volume.)

• The particles in a solid are packed tightly together so this is why its shape and volume don’t change.

2 Types of Solids

1. Crystalline Solids- particles are arranged in a repeating pattern.

- These substances do NOT lose shape when heated. - Examples- sugar, sand, salt

2. Amorphous Solids- particles are NOT arranged in a repeating pattern.

- These substances lose their shape when heated.

- Examples- plastics, rubber, glass

Liquids

• Liquids are substances that have a definite volume but no definite shape.

• In other words, the shape of a liquid can change but the space it takes up (volume) cannot.

• The particles in a liquid are packed almost as tightly as a solid but can move around one another so this is why its shape can change.

Gases

• Gases are substances that have no definite shape and no definite volume.

• In other words, the shape of a gas can change and so can the space it takes up (volume).

• The particles in a gas are spread very far apart, filling all the space available to them.

Plasma• Plasma is a state of matter that occurs

at very high temperatures. • It is too cold on Earth for most matter

to reach the plasma state. • Our sun and small stars are made of

plasma. • Lighting strikes are plasma and plasma

glows when it conducts electricity in neon signs and fluorescent bulbs.

• The hottest candle flame is plasma.

So overall…

Phase Shape VolumeSolidLiquidGas

Plasma

Definite Definite

Indefinite

DefiniteIndefinit

eIndefinite

IndefiniteIndefinite

The movement of particles

• Particles of matter are always in motion.

• The warmer they are, the faster they move. The cooler they are, the slower they move.

• As they move they bump into each other.

Phase Changes

• As a substance gets warmer, its particles bump into each other more causing them to spread apart.

• This causes solids to melt into liquids and liquids to evaporate into gases.

Phase Changes

• As a substance gets cooler, its particles bump into each other less causing them to get closer together.

• This causes gases to condense into liquids and liquids to freeze into solids.

S L Melting

L S Freezing

GL CondensingL G Evaporating

Sublimation• When a substance changes from a

solid straight to a gas (skipping liquid), it sublimes.

• SG• Only some substances can do this like

dry ice and iodine.