Mga Estado ng Materya at Kanilang mga Katangian

Matter is the fundamental stuff that makes up our universe, and it exists in various states depending on factors such as temperature, pressure, and composition. The traditional understanding of matter as existing in three states—solids, liquids, and gases—is now expanded to include newer discoveries, which reveal a more diverse array of possible states. Let's delve deeper into these states of matter and explore their unique properties:

Traditional States of Matter

Solids

In a solid, particles are closely packed together and maintain a fixed shape and volume. The electrons of each atom are in constant motion, causing a small vibration, but the atoms themselves are stationary in their positions due to strong intermolecular forces. Examples of solids include ice, sugar, rock, wood, and metals like iron.

Liquids

A liquid has less tightly packed particles than a solid, allowing them to flow around each other while maintaining a fixed volume. Particles in liquids are difficult to compress due to the relatively small space between them. They take the shape of their container and exhibit weak intermolecular forces compared to solids. Examples of liquids are water, milk, blood, and oil.

Gases

Gases consist of particles with large spaces between them and high kinetic energy. They have neither a fixed shape nor volume; instead, they fill their containers and can be compressed or expanded. Intermolecular forces in gases are negligible, and particles move freely in all directions at high speeds with high energy levels. Examples of gases are air, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen.

Plasma

Plasma is an ionized state of matter consisting of highly charged particles with extremely high kinetic energy. It is often found in stars like our sun due to the extreme temperatures that cause atoms to lose electrons. On Earth, plasma can be created through ionization by electricity, such as in neon signs and other plasma displays.

Newer States of Matter

Bose-Einstein Condensates (BECs)

First created in 1995 by Eric Cornell and Carl Weiman, BECs are formed when a sample of atoms is cooled to near absolute zero temperature, allowing them to form a single quantum state with negligible motion and clump together into a "super-atom" with unique properties. They exhibit superfluid behavior, slow light propagation, and can mimic conditions found in black holes for research purposes.

Other Exotic States

Science is constantly pushing boundaries and discovering new forms of matter through advanced experimental techniques. Some examples include bosonic correlated insulators, which were first observed in May 2023, and liquid glass, which was discovered during the transformation process from liquid to solid under extreme temperatures and pressures. These states of matter offer valuable insights into the fundamental nature of matter itself.