States of Matter
Discover how matter changes between solid, liquid, and gas states based on temperature and particle behavior.
How does changing temperature affect the state of matter and the movement of particles?
Key Vocabulary
Matter
Anything that has mass and takes up space.
Solid
A state of matter with a fixed shape and volume; particles are tightly packed.
Liquid
A state of matter with fixed volume but no fixed shape; particles can slide past each other.
Gas
A state of matter with no fixed shape or volume; particles move rapidly and spread out.
Phase Change
The transition of matter from one state to another.
Kinetic Energy
The energy of motion; particles with more kinetic energy move faster.
Key Concepts
- 1
All matter is made of particles (atoms or molecules) that are always in motion.
- 2
Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of particles — higher temperature means faster movement.
- 3
At 0°C, water freezes (liquid → solid); at 100°C, water boils (liquid → gas).
- 4
Phase changes occur when enough energy is added or removed to change how particles interact.