Hydronium: Why do you ask? Hydroxide: Hey Dad what’s the phases of matter? Hydronium: Why do you ask? Hydroxide: Well Steve from down the street was bragging that he was flying around yesterday moving faster than I ever could.

Hydronium: O Steve must have been in gas phase yesterday, I told him not to play near the hot springs. I remember those days. Flying all around no cares in the world. Hydronium: O those where the Days! That’s when I met your Mother. Hydroxide: DAD! What is the Gas phase?

Hydronium: O yeah. Well I guess you’re old enough to learn the ways of life. Hydroxide: Duh! Hydronium: Okay Okay, I’ll teach you. First let’s start off in the solid phase. As shown on the Graph it is the lowest in Energy.

Hydronium: The molecules in the solid phase are very close together and cannot move around. And thus the solid retains a fixed volume and shape. Which Reminds me. Hydronium: Your Aunt Jill just sent us a post card from her vacation at the North Pole. Hydroxide: O I see! Solid phase is the most ridged phase. Aunt Jill must be having fun, she always been a little Ridged. Hydroxide: This is getting interesting what happens next!

Hydronium: Well when you add energy you move to the next stage, the Liquid phase. Hydronium: The molecules of a substance in the liquid phase are close together and move around slowly. Any substance in the liquid phase assumes the shape of the part of the container which it occupies. The liquid flows easily. This is the phase we are in. Hydroxide: O that’s awesome, I always said I was easy going! So in the liquid phase my molecules are moving faster but still remain together. In the Gas phase that’s where the molecules separate right?

Hydronium: Yup that’s right gas is the next phase Hydronium: Yup that’s right gas is the next phase. The gas phase is the highest in energy. And you’re not too easy going, you get all excited when the temperature changes. Hydronium: Molecules are widely separated, move around freely, and move at high speeds. Any substance in the gas phase assumes the shape and volume of its container. Hydronium: This is where Steve was last week. When he went near the hot spring he obtained more energy in the form of heat and his molecules moved faster moving him into the Gas Phase.

Hydroxide: Wow Dad that’s awesome! Hydronium: Now lets talk about all of the Phase’s in a Example. Hydronium: Do you see all there phases in this picture?

Hydroxide: Well there is the Solid Ice, and then there is the Liquid water. Trick question there is no gas because there is no fog. Hydronium: The first two where correct, but the last one was wrong. If you where to look with a microscope at the edge of the water and Air, you would see Molecules of water going form Gas to liquid state and Vice-versa. Hydronium: In the picture from before there is the different pathways drawn in. These path ways show how a substance can move from one phase to another. The Red path ways take more energy because they skip over a phase. The Blue pathways represent the normal paths that substance move through phases.

Hydroxide: Wow Dad that’s awesome Hydroxide: Wow Dad that’s awesome! Can I go tell Steve about the Phases of matter? Hydronium: Sure go have some fun son.