State the distinguishing properties of solids, liquids, and gases.

1.Solids:-

• The particles are packed closely together. The forces between particles are strong enough so that the particles cannot move freely but can only vibrate.
• Solids can be transformed into liquids by melting, and liquids can be transformed into solids by freezing.
• Solids can also change directly into gases through the process of sublimation.
• As a result, a solid has a stable, definite shape and a definite volume. Solids can only change their shape by force, as when broken or cut.

• A liquid is a nearly incompressible fluid which is able to conform to the shape of its container but retains a (nearly) constant volume independent of pressure.
• The volume is definite if the temperature and pressure are constant. When a solid is heated above its melting point, it becomes liquid.
• This means that the shape of a liquid is not definite but is determined by its container, the most well-known exception being water, H2O.

3.Gases:-

• A gas is a compressible fluid. Not only will a gas conform to the shape of its container, but it will also expand to fill the container.
• In a gas, the molecules have enough kinetic energy so that the effect of forces is small, and the typical distance between neighboring molecules is much greater than the molecular size.
• A gas has no definite shape or volume but occupies the entire container in which it is confined. A liquid may be converted to a gas by heating to the boiling point.