3+states+of+matter!!



3 states of matter!!

All matter is made from atoms with the configuration of the atom, the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons, determining the kind of matter present (oxygen, lead, silver, neon ...). Every substance has a unique number of protons, neutrons, and electrons. Oxygen, for example, has 8 protons, 8 neutrons, and 8 electrons. Individual atoms can combine with other atoms to form molecules. Water molecules contain two atoms of hydrogen **H** and one atom of oxygen **O** and is chemically called **H2O**. Oxygen and nitrogen, which are the major components of air, occur in nature as **diatomic** (two atom) molecules. Regardless of the type of molecule, matter normally exists as either a **solid, a liquid, or a gas**. We call this property of matter the **state** of the matter. The three normal states of matter have unique characteristics which are listed on the slide. In a **solid** the molecules are closely bound to one another by molecular forces. A solid holds its shape and the [|volume] of a solid is fixed by the shape of the solid. In a **liquid** the molecular forces are weaker than in a solid. A liquid will take the shape of its container with a free surface in a gravitational field. In microgravity, a liquid forms a ball inside a free surface. Regardless of gravity, a liquid has a fixed volume. In a **gas** the molecular forces are very weak. A gas fills its container, taking both the shape and the volume of the container.
 * Solid**
 * Liquid**
 * Gas**

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