States of Matter¶
There are three main states of matter:
Solids¶
- Solids are of a fixed shape, and cannot be compressed.
- Their particles are close together, and vibrate around a fixed point.
Liquids¶
- Liquids will take the shape of their container, and cannot be compressed.
- Their particles are close together
Gases¶
- Gases will move to fill their container, and can be compressed.
- Their particles are far apart
Changes of State¶
For the three main states of matter, there are six changes of state than can occur:
- Melting (Solid -> Liquid)
- Freezing (Liquid -> Solid)
- Condensation (Gas -> Liquid)
- Evaporation (Liquid -> Gas)
- Sublimation (Solid -> Gas)
- Deposition (Gas -> Solid)
State Symbols¶
| State | Symbol |
|---|---|
| Solid | (s) |
| Liquid | (l) |
| Gas | (g) |
| Aqueous | (aq) |
Aqueous means dissolved in water
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