States of Matter and Phase Changes
Solid, liquid, gas: three styles of particle dance
Summary
Depending on its temperature, the same substance can take three different forms: solid, liquid and gas. The difference lies in how fast its particles move at the molecular level. Change the temperature with the slider and watch the particles.
In depth
The states of matter come from the kinetic energy of the particles. In a solid the particles are held in a lattice and only vibrate in place. In a liquid the particles stay close to each other but can change places, which is why a liquid takes the shape of its container but keeps its volume. In a gas the particles move independently at high speeds and reach every corner of the container. Temperature is really the average kinetic energy of the particles; as it rises, the particles speed up and begin to overcome the forces holding the molecules together, which is why melting and evaporation happen. Beyond this simple trio, modern physics recognises further states: plasma, the Bose-Einstein condensate and the fermionic condensate.
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