Introduction:
Anything that occupies space and has mass is known as Matter. From the macroscopic point of view of a substance related to its bulk properties, it has three main stages: gas, liquid and solid. The fourth stage, plasma exists at very high temperatures. The gaseous phase of matter is generally transparent and has no fixed boundaries other than the boundaries imposed by a confining vessel wall. Gas particles (atoms, molecules or ions) are well separated, have no regular arrangement and move freely at high speeds. Due to the large space between their atoms (molecules or ions), gases are highly compressed.
Liquids and solids have a clearly defined phase. Liquid particles are close to each other but do not have a regular arrangement, they move and slide part of each other. Liquids are relatively incompressible because the particles in the liquid have very little space. Liquids and solids are often referred to as condensed phases because the particles in this phase are very closely packed.
Characteristics of solid state:
- Solids are rigid and have a fixed shape.
- Solids keep their shape independent of the shape or size of the container in which they are placed.
- Solids are almost incompressible.
- As compared to liquids and gases, solids disperse slowly.
- Solids occupies fixed positions and can oscillate about their mean positions.