Video Transcript
The table below describes the shape
and volume for each state of matter. What is the correct pairing between
each column and state of matter? (A) A: solid, B: liquid, C:
gas. (B) A: gas, B: solid, C:
liquid. (C) A: liquid, B: solid, C:
gas. (D) A: liquid, B: gas, C:
solid. (E) A: solid, B: gas, C:
liquid.
To answer the question, we need to
take a closer look at the three states of matter provided: solids, liquids, and
gases. In a solid, there are strong forces
between the particles that keep the particles tightly packed together. These particles have energy and do
move, but they essentially stay in one spot as they vibrate and rotate. Because of the tightly packed
nature of solid particles, moving a solid from one container to another does not
affect its shape or its volume. In other words, a solid has a
definite volume and a definite shape, which matches the characteristics described in
column B.
In a liquid, there are strong
forces between the particles, but these forces tend to be weaker than the forces
between the particles in a solid. As the forces aren’t quite as
strong, the particles in a liquid are less tightly packed. Liquid particles move about more
rapidly than solid particles. When a liquid is transferred from
one container to another, it will occupy the same volume but will take the shape of
the container it is in. In other words, a liquid has a
definite volume and a shape that matches the container. These characteristics match those
described in column A.
There are weak forces between the
particles in a gas. So the particles are not kept close
together and are well separated from one another. The particles in a gas move much
more rapidly than the particles in a liquid or solid. Because gas particles are not
tightly packed and move about rapidly, gases can fill all of the parts of a sealed
container and end up with the same volume and shape as the sealed container. In other words, gases do not have a
definite volume and take the shape of the container they are in, which matches the
characteristics described in column C.
From our discussion, we can see
that the answer choice that correctly pairs each column with the appropriate state
of matter is answer choice (C): A: liquid, B: solid, C: gas.
