How would you explain how particles move in the three states of matter.?
1 Answer
Particles move very little in solids
They move a little more in liquids
They move a lot more in gases
Explanation:
In solids, particles are held tightly together and thus cannot move. They do however vibrate (this vibration accounts for solids expanding when heated - more heat, more kinetic energy equals more vibration which in turn means the solid must expand slightly to accommodate this extra vibration.
In gases, particles are not bonded together and thus are free to move as much as pressure and concentration allows.
In liquids, the movement of particles is somewhere between the movement of those in a solid and a gas. Particles move very differently in different liquids, however. Think of a thick oil and water. Water flows more easily than oil and thus the particles in water have greater freedom to move than in oil. The difference in the ‘thickness’ and flow rate of a fluid is described as viscosity. High viscosity means thick and gloopy. Low viscosity means thin and very ‘runny’.
