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Competency #3

Answer and Explanation

Some of the characteristics below are found on page 414 of Hewitt et al, in the text and in Figure 17.5.¹

Solids

• Particles have sufficiently strong inter-particle interactions (bonds) to hold them together in a fixed, 3-dimensional arrangement
• Individual particles, while not free to roam about, can vibrate in place
• Do not conform to the shape of their container
• Not easily compressible

Liquids

• Particles have more energy than in a solid and are not held in a fixed, 3-dimensional arrangement
• Particles can move past each other, but are still in close proximity to each other, due to inter-particle attractions
• Conform to the shape of their container
• Not easily compressible

Gases

• Particles have more energy than in a liquid
• Particles are moving fast enough that the inter-particle attractions cannot hold them together
• Conform to the shape of their container
• Easily compressible

1. Hewitt, Paul G., John Suchocki, Leslie A. Hewitt, Conceptual Physical Science, 3^rd Edition, San Francisco: Addison Wesley, 2004.

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