Question

Create a table that describes the three common states of matter in terms of their shape, volume, and compressibility.

Short answer

The table describing the three common states of matter in terms of their shape, volume, and compressibility is as follows: | State of Matter | Shape | Volume | Compressibility | |:---------------:|:------------------:|:---------------------------------------:|:-------------------------:| | Solid | Definite shape | Definite volume | Incompressible / Slightly compressible | | Liquid | Takes shape of the container | Definite volume | Slightly compressible | | Gas | Fills and takes shape of the container | Expands to fill the entire volume of the container | Highly compressible |

Step-by-step solution

Create a table with the required rows and columns

First, create a table with four rows and four columns. The rows will represent each state of matter (solid, liquid, and gas) with the first row being the headers. The columns will represent the properties of each state (shape, volume, and compressibility).

Fill up header row with the properties

Next, fill up the first row with the headers: 'State of Matter', 'Shape', 'Volume', and 'Compressibility'.

Fill up the first column with the states of matter

In the first column, starting from the second row, fill up the states of matter: 'Solid', 'Liquid', and 'Gas'.

Describe the shape of each state of matter

In the second column, describe the shape of each state of matter: - Solid: Definite shape - Liquid: Takes the shape of the container - Gas: Fills the container completely, taking its shape

Describe the volume of each state of matter

In the third column, describe the volume of each state of matter: - Solid: Definite volume - Liquid: Definite volume - Gas: Expands to fill the entire volume of the container

Describe the compressibility of each state of matter

In the fourth column, describe the compressibility of each state of matter: - Solid: Incompressible or slightly compressible - Liquid: Slightly compressible - Gas: Highly compressible Finally, the table should look like this: | State of Matter | Shape | Volume | Compressibility | |:---------------:|:------------------:|:---------------------------------------:|:-------------------------:| | Solid | Definite shape | Definite volume | Incompressible / Slightly compressible | | Liquid | Takes shape of the container | Definite volume | Slightly compressible | | Gas | Fills and takes shape of the container | Expands to fill the entire volume of the container | Highly compressible |

Key concepts

Shape

Matter exists in three primary states: solid, liquid, and gas. Each state has distinct characteristics regarding its shape. Solids have a rigid, definite shape that doesn't change unless a force is applied. This is because the particles in a solid are closely packed and only vibrate in fixed positions.

In contrast, liquids have an indefinite shape. A liquid will flow and take the shape of its container, filling it from the bottom up. This happens because the molecules in a liquid are loosely bonded, allowing them to move freely while still remaining in contact with each other. This ability to adapt their shape makes liquids versatile in their use across various applications.

Gases, on the other hand, have no fixed shape on their own. They completely fill any container they are placed in, taking on its shape entirely. Gaseous particles are far apart and move independently, allowing them significant freedom of movement.

Volume

The volume of the three states of matter differs significantly. Solids possess a definite volume, a characteristic due to their tightly packed particles. This dense arrangement makes solids resistant to changes in volume, even under external forces.

Liquids also maintain a definite volume. However, unlike solids, their shape is not fixed. The particles in a liquid can move around each other freely, allowing the liquid to flow while maintaining a consistent volume. So when poured into a container, a liquid will spread out to fill the bottom but will not occupy more or less space in terms of volume.

Gases exhibit a unique behavior regarding volume; they expand to fill the volume of their container. In a gas, particles move freely and spread apart, meaning they will adjust to occupy all available space. This characteristic is crucial in understanding why gases are used as filling materials, as their volumes can easily be manipulated.

Compressibility

Compressibility refers to how a substance's volume changes under pressure. Solids are incompressible, or only slightly compressible, because their particles are packed tightly together with minimal space between them. Applying pressure to a solid generally does not result in it taking up less space.

Liquids are slightly compressible. This means that applying high pressures results in a small reduction in volume, but not as significantly as with gases. The particles in a liquid are close enough together that there is little room to move closer, hence the minimal change.

Gases are highly compressible, which is one of their defining characteristics. With their particles widely spaced, gases can be compacted into a smaller volume under pressure. This property makes gases useful in various applications, such as in gas cylinders or pneumatic systems, where large volumes of gas can be stored in small spaces by compressing them.