Answer the following. a) Tabulate the differences in the characteristics of matter. b) Comment upon the following: rigidity, compressibility, fluidity, filling a gas container, shape, kinetic energy and density.

Solution:

(a) The difference in the characteristics of the three states of matter.

Characteristics	Solid	Liquid	Gas
Shape	Fixed shape	No Fixed shape	No Fixed shape
Volume	Fixed volume	Fixed volume	No Fixed volume
Intermolecular force	Maximum	Less than solids	Very less
Intermolecular space	Very less	More than solids	maximum
Rigidity/Fluidity	Rigid/cannot flow	Can flow/not rigid	Can flow/not rigid
Compressibility	negligible	compressible	Highly compressible

(b) (i) Rigidity: It is the property of matter to continue to remain in its shape when treated

with an external force.

(ii) Compressibility: It is the attribute of the particles to contract their intermolecular space when

exposed to an external force, thereby escalating its density.

(iii) Fluidity: It is the ability of a substance to flow or move about freely.

(iv) Filling the gas container: The particles in a container take their shape as they randomly vibrate in all possible directions.

(v) Shape: It is the definite structure of an object within an external boundary

(vi) Kinetic energy: Motion allows particles to possess energy which is referred to as kinetic energy. The increasing order of kinetic energy possessed by various states of matter are:

Solids < Liquids < Gases

Mathematically, it can be expressed as K.E = 1/2 mv², where ‘m’ is the mass and ‘v’ is the velocity of the particle.

(vii) Density: It is the mass of a unit volume of a substance. It is expressed as:

d = M/V, where ‘d’ is the density, ‘M’ is the mass and ‘V’ is the volume of the substance