Physical Science: States of Matter

States of Matter

• Solid: particles are closely packed and have a fixed shape and volume
• Liquid: particles are close together but are free to move past each other, takes the shape of its container
• Gas: particles are widely spaced and are free to move in any direction, has neither a fixed shape nor volume
• Plasma: high-energy state of matter where atoms are ionized, often found in stars and lightning

Physical Properties

• Mass: a measure of the amount of matter in an object, remains constant regardless of its state
• Volume: the amount of space occupied by an object or substance, can change depending on its state
• Density: mass per unit volume, can be used to identify substances
• Buoyancy: the ability of an object to float or sink in a fluid, dependent on its density relative to the fluid

Sublimation

• Sublimation: the process by which a substance changes directly from a solid to a gas, without going through the liquid phase
• Examples: dry ice (solid carbon dioxide), iodine crystals, and ammonium chloride
• Factors affecting sublimation:
  • Temperature: increases sublimation rate
  • Pressure: decreases sublimation rate
  • Surface area: increases sublimation rate
  • Concentration: increases sublimation rate

States of Matter

• Particles in a solid are closely packed and have a fixed shape and volume.
• Particles in a liquid are close together but are free to move past each other, taking the shape of its container.
• Particles in a gas are widely spaced and are free to move in any direction, with neither a fixed shape nor volume.
• Plasma is a high-energy state of matter where atoms are ionized, often found in stars and lightning.

Physical Properties

• Mass is a measure of the amount of matter in an object, remaining constant regardless of its state.
• Volume is the amount of space occupied by an object or substance, capable of changing depending on its state.
• Density is mass per unit volume, used to identify substances.
• Buoyancy is the ability of an object to float or sink in a fluid, dependent on its density relative to the fluid.

Sublimation

• Sublimation is the process by which a substance changes directly from a solid to a gas, without going through the liquid phase.
• Examples of sublimation include dry ice (solid carbon dioxide), iodine crystals, and ammonium chloride.
• Factors affecting sublimation rate include:
  • Temperature, which increases the sublimation rate
  • Pressure, which decreases the sublimation rate
  • Surface area, which increases the sublimation rate
  • Concentration, which increases the sublimation rate