states of matter

What are the four main states of matter?

Solid, liquid, gas

How are the particles in a solid arranged?

Tightly packed and vibrate in place.

How do particles in a liquid behave?

Loosely connected and slide past each other.

What’s special about gas particles?

They move freely and spread out to fill their container.

What happens when a liquid turns into a gas?

It evaporates or boils.

What causes matter to change state?

Adding or removing thermal (heat) energy

What is condensation?

When gas or water vapor loses heat and becomes a liquid.

What is freezing?

When a liquid loses heat and becomes a solid.

What is the difference between boiling and evaporation?

Boiling occurs throughout the liquid at a specific temperature; evaporation happens only at the surface at any temperature.

What is sublimation?

The direct transition from solid to gas without passing through the liquid state.