Characteristics & Organization of Particles In Solid, Liquid and Gas

Volume of Solids.Closely packed molecules that contain very less kinetic energy are called solids. These are very rigid in structure and resistant to the applied force. Examples of solids are wood, solid ice and rock.How much space an thing has taken is its volume. A solid’s volume is measured in cubic centimeters. A solid’s molecules can be of regular and irregular shapes.

For rectangular shaped solids, volume can be measured by the product of length, width and height. In a cube, all edges are of equal length. Therefore, the area is equal on each side. The volume of the cube is the (length)³. In a prism, the volume is the product of base area and height. In a cylinder, volume is equal to the product of its circular base area and cylinder height. For a pyramid, volume is one-third of the product of base area and height.

Let's see an example of the volume of a cuboid having a length of thirty centimeters, width of twenty centimeters, and height of fifteen centimeters. Let's find the volume of a cube having each edge of six centimeters.

Solids generally are rigid in shape as molecules, compressed and tightly bonded together by chemical bonds. These bonds can give a solid amorphous or crystalline shape. In amorphous solids, molecules are not arranged into a three-dimensional structure. Examples are gels and metallic glasses. In crystalline solid molecules are arranged in a three-dimensional manner. Some examples are diamond, ice, and table salt.

Compressibility. Compressibility is a measure of how much the volume of given solid decreases by applying pressure. There is essentially no compressibility change or volume change on solid molecules. This is because molecules that make the solids are very tightly packed. For example, if we apply pressure on brick or wood its’ volume will not change so there will be zero compressibility change.

Density. Density is the mass of a substance in a given volume. Solids have high density than liquids and gases. It is because particles are closely packed together. Density can be measured by dividing mass by volume. Iron is a solid substance with a density value of seventy-eight hundred kilograms per cubic meter. Iron weighs seventy-eight hundred kilos grams so its density is seventy-eight hundred kilograms per cubic at standard pressure and near room temperature.

Liquid Shape.Liquids do not have a definite shape. It takes the shape of the container it is in. as liquid particles are not tightly packed and are free to move when these molecules move freely and make liquid shape variables. There is only limited space between the particles. For example, milk is a liquid. it takes the shape of the container it is in. but its volume remains the same.

Volume As volume is simply a measure of space a substance has taken. Liquid molecules can move freely but are packed together and have a definite volume. It is also referred to as capacity in liter or milliliter units. for example, if glass can hold one hundred fifty milliliters of water. we will fill this glass with water its volume is one hundred fifty milliliters. Liquid volume can be measured in volumetric flasks, beakers and other such equipment.

Compressibility. Liquids have high compressibility than solids because liquids have limited space between their molecules. When pressure is applied to liquids molecules' density changes and they compress till a limit. Liquid compressibility is higher than solids and lower than gases.

For example, fill a container with liquid which takes up space of almost half the container. When pressure is applied through a piston, the liquid is compressed and takes a space of one-third of the container. By compressing liquids density also increases.

Density.Liquid density is a measure that how heavy it is. If we weigh two different liquids in some type of container then that liquid weighs is denser. Liquid molecules have strong intermolecular forces so these are denser than gases which have very low attraction between molecules.

For example density of water is one gram per cubic centimeter. While honey has a density of 1.4 grams per cubic centimeter. Here honey is denser because more honey can be put in space than water. This is also because honey molecules are more rigid.

Gases volumeGases have very large spaces between their molecules and their molecules can move freely. Gases do not have definite volume it takes up the volume of space it is in. if carbon dioxide gas is there in a cylinder it will make the volume of a cylinder. If it is there in a room it will take the volume of a room.

For example, we can measure gas volume by-product of molecular mass and molar volume with units of a liter or cubic meter. On a standard note, a mole of gas has a twenty-four cubic meter volume at room temperature. This is also known as molar volume. The gas nitrogen dioxide contains moles of 0.25 at room temperature. Its volume is six liters.

Shape. Gas molecules do not have a definite shape. It has very less intermolecular forces between its molecules so it takes up the space of the container it is in. gas particles move in random motion with less to no attraction between them. In this result, the gas takes any volume and shape. For example, oxygen molecule gas is there in a container. it has the shape of a container. If it is there in the glass it will take shape of the glass. If it is there in a room it takes up the shape of the room.

Compressibility.As gas molecules have very large spaces between their molecules. It has a very large compressibility. When pressure is applied to gas in a container, it can be compressed to a very small space. Gases have high compressibility than liquids and solids. For example, carbon dioxide is the most compressible gas because it has a large space between molecules. We can measure compressibility as, in gas molecules compressibility changes the volume of gas by ninety-nine out of a hundred times.

Density.Gas density is very less, but we can measure it at very specified pressure and temperature. At STP the mass of gas occupies a particular volume and has a density. Because gas molecules have very large space so their density is very less than liquids and solids. For example, a Helium balloon rises due to helium gas presence which is very less dense than the air surrounding it. Density can also be measured by the formula of dividing mass by volume.