1. States of Matter

2. Solids
Solids are substances with densely packed particles, which may be ions, atoms, or molecules, depending upon the substance
The particles of a solid are arranged in a definite pattern, shape and volume
Most solids have a crystalline structure, in which particles are arranged in geometric patterns

3. Liquids At any temp above absolute zero, atoms vibrate
These vibrations increase temp and are called thermal vibrations
At the melting point the vibrations become enough to break the forces holding the solid together
Liquids do not have their own shape, they take the shape of the container, but do have a specific volume

4. Gases
The particles in a liquid can vibrate enough to escape the liquid
This process that changes a liquid to gas is evaporation
The slow change of a state from a solid, ice crystals, to a gas, water vapor, without an intermediate is called sublimation
The particles in gas are separated by a large space and move around at extreme speeds
Gases have no definite shape or volume

6. Plasmas
When matter is heated to temps greater then 5000 degrees Celsius, the collisions between particles are so violent that electrons are knocked away from atoms
These conditions exist on stars
The gases of stars consist entirely of positive ions and free electrons
These hot, highly ionized, electrically conducting gases are called plasmas