(40) GCSE Chemistry Revision "The Three States of Matter"

States of Matter

The three common forms of matter: solids, liquids, and gases.

Solids

Have particles arranged in a regular pattern with almost no spaces; they are hard to compress and have a fixed shape.

Liquids

Have particles that are close together but can move, allowing them to take the shape of their container and flow.

Gases

Have widely spaced particles that move quickly and randomly, making them easy to compress and allowing them to fill their container.

Melting

The process of changing a solid into a liquid by adding energy; occurs at the melting point.

Freezing

The process of converting a liquid back to a solid by removing energy; occurs at the same temperature as melting.

Boiling

The process of converting a liquid into a gas by adding energy; occurs at the boiling point.

Condensing

The process of changing a gas back to a liquid by removing energy; occurs at the same temperature as boiling.

Forces of attraction

The interactions between particles that determine the melting and boiling points of substances.

Simple Particle Model

An idealized representation that assumes particles are solid spheres without forces acting between them; has limitations in explaining real particle behavior.

Melting Point

The specific temperature at which a substance transitions from solid to liquid.

Boiling Point

The specific temperature at which a substance transitions from liquid to gas.

Kinetic Energy

The energy of motion that increases as particles move more quickly, important in phase changes.