Everything that you see around you like air, water, animals, clothes and more, is made up of matter. Also, matter refers to the collection of particles and has mass as well as occupies space. Thus, you see, there are three basic states of matter known as solid, liquid and gas. These different states of matter are because of the differences in their molecules. For instance, solids have a definite shape and size. On the other hand, liquids are flexible and will take the shape of the container they are in. Finally, gases diffuse to fill up the available volume completely. This is why it is important to know the difference between solid liquid and gas to understand them better.
Definition of Solid
Solids are the kind of matter having a rigid structure opposing the change in their shape and volume. The particles in them are bound tightly and well-arranged in a regular pattern. Its particle will constantly vibrate and twist but won’t show any motion as they are tightly-knit. They have fixed shapes with maximum intermolecular attraction. Moreover, the compression is quite tough as their molecules have very fewer spaces between them.
Definition of Liquid
Liquids are free-flowing substances, They have a constant volume with no definite shape. Thus, they take up the shape of the container they are in. The small particles in them are held tightly by intermolecular bonds. To understand the difference between solid liquid and gas, it is important to know their properties. The surface tension of liquids makes it posses minimum surface area.
Definition of Gas
Gas is a state of matter which diffuses freely in all directions. Thus, they fill up the entire space available irrespective of the quantity. The particles it contains do not have a specific shape and volume. Their molecules are loosely held making a lot of space between them to move freely and continually.
Difference Between Solid Liquid and Gas