Overview:
Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space, whether it is visible or not. It exists in three separate states, solid, liquid, and gas. Each state has its own distinct physical properties.
What Are Some Types of Matter?
Matter consists of many different substances with fixed composition. Some of those substances are elements and compounds, which have distinct physical and chemical properties. For example, copper (Cu) is an element that has many metallic properties, reacts in characteristic ways with other elements such as sulfur and oxygen when heated, and has distinct melting and boiling points. The familiar compound water (H2O) has a common appearance, a characteristic freezing and boiling point, and distinct behavior in chemical reactions. Many other forms of matter exist in mixtures, in which all substances retain their own properties rather than combine into new compounds.
What Are Solids?
The solid state of matter has a definite shape and volume. The particles that make up the solid state can be crystalline in structure, with three-dimensional geometric shapes, such as ice, salt, and various types of metals. The shape of a solid does not depend on the type of container that holds it. For example, a solid block of wood will remain in the same shape whether it is in a glass beaker or set on top of a table.
What Are Liquids?
Unlike solids, the liquid state of matter has an indefinite shape but a definite volume. The particles of a liquid do not have a definite structure. Liquids take the shape of their container, because the molecules can move freely to assume that shape. At room temperature, bromine and mercury are the only two elements that are liquid, but many different compounds and mixtures are liquid at room temperature, such as water, hydrogen peroxide, and acetic acid.
What Are Gases?
Gases are unlike solids and liquids in that they have both an indefinite shape and indefinite volume. Molecules are relatively far apart and can move independently, and gases can be compressed. Some of the common elements that are gases at room temperature and normal pressure include oxygen, hydrogen, helium, and nitrogen. Air is a mixture of many different elements and compounds.
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