Introduction to Matter

Phases of Matter Solid Liquid Gas Plasma Hotdog, car, person, spaceship Liquid Water, tears, soda, mercury Gas Oxygen, vapor, certain smells Plasma Lightning, stars

SOLID Definite shape Definite volume Cannot be compressed

LIQUID Definite volume Cannot be compressed Liquids take the shape of their container, therefore they have no definite shape.

GAS No definite shape No definite volume Can be easily compressed Takes the shape of its container No definite volume Spreads out evenly into the space it occupies Can be easily compressed

Atomic Molecules Solids: Liquids: Gases: atomic molecules move extremely slowly; they vibrate only. Liquids: atomic molecules move faster than in a solid, but not as fast as in a gas. Gases: atomic molecules move very quickly, colliding with one another and ricocheting off in various directions.

Energy Requirements It takes increased energy to change from a solid to a liquid or a liquid to a gas. When energy decreases, gases change to liquids, and liquids change to solids.

Water Solid: Ice Liquid: Water Gas Steam

Plasma – the 4th Phase of Matter Plasmas are similar to gases, but the atoms, the building blocks of matter, are different. Plasma molecules move extremely fast, much faster than gas molecules.

Examples of Plasma Natural examples: Man-made examples: Northern Lights Lightning Man-made examples: florescent lights neon signs.

Can you answer these questions? What are the 4 phases of matter? Can you give at least one example for each phase? How do phases of matter change from one phase to another? Can you describe the molecular movement of each phase of matter? What is the least common phase found on Earth? Which phase has a definite volume, but no definite shape, what phase is it? Which phase can be easily compressed?