States of Matter
Payton Pierce
Solids
Definition: state of matter in which materials have a definite shape and a definite volume.
Details:
- Molecules packed closely together
- Low kinetic energy because the molecules don't have room to move.
- Definite volume and shape
Examples:
- Canvas
- Paintbrush
- Book
Liquids
Definition: state of matter in which a material has a definite volume but not a definite shape.
Details:
- Molecules move more freely, but close together
- No definite shape
- Medium kinetic energy
Examples:
- Paint
- Water
- Tea
Gases
Definition: A state of matter in which a material has neither a definite shape nor a definite volume.
Details:
- Molecules are far apart and can move freely
- No fixed volume
- High kinetic energy
Examples:
- Helium
- Oxygen
- Carbon dioxide
Plasma
Definition: An ionized gas consisting of positive ions and free electrons in proportions resulting in more or less no overall electric charge, typically at low pressures.
Details:
- Particles have extremely large amounts of energy
- Can be thought of as a gas consisting of electrons instead of atoms
- Most common phase of matter in the universe
Examples:
- Lightning
- Nebula
- Aurora
Bose-Einstein Condensate
Definition: A state of matter of a dilute gas of bosons cooled to temperatures very close to absolute zero.
Details:
- Einstein predicted this state of matter in the 1920's
- It exists only at extremely low temperatures, -273 degrees C
- Groups of atoms behave as though they are a single particle
Examples:
- Superfluid
- Superconductor
- Neutron star