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EASY READ Science

Solid, liquid or gas?

Most substances exist in one of three states: solid, liquid or gas. They change from one state to another when they are heated or cooled. Water is a liquid at room temperature, but if you freeze it, it becomes a solid (ice). When boiled it turns into a gas (water vapour or steam).

Water in its solid and liquid states
Water in its solid and liquid states
Matter in its solid, liquid and gassy states
Matter in its solid, liquid and gassy states
Water as a solid (ice), liquid and gas (water vapour)
Water as a solid (ice), liquid and gas (water vapour)

Molecules

The molecules in a solid are tightly packed and do not move about much. This is why solids have a fixed shape. The molecules in a liquid are not all joined together. They move about more and spread out to fill the shape of their container. The molecules in a gas are far apart. They move about a lot and fill the container they are in. This is why gases have no fixed shape.

Crystals

In many solids, the molecules are arranged in regular patterns called crystals. Crystals are flat-faced, straight-sided shapes. They fit together to form much bigger, regular shapes. Snowflakes, salt, sugar, minerals in rocks and many metals are made up of crystals.

Ice crystals form snowflakes and are six-sided.
Ice crystals form snowflakes and are six-sided.
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Consultant: Mike Goldsmith

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Matter
Crystals

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pics

A hot spring at Waiotapu, New Zealand. The three states of matter are shown here: solid (rock), liquid (water) and gas (vapour rising from the spring).
This diagram shows water in its three states: solid (ice), liquid (water) and gas (water vapour). It shows how the water molecules are joined together in each state. In ice the molecules are joined in a fixed pattern. In liquid water they are quite close, but can move about. In water vapour they are spread apart.
Ice crystals form snowflakes and are six-sided.
An iceberg in Arctic waters. Here water can be seen in its solid state (ice) and liquid state (liquid water). In its third state, as a gas (water vapour), it is invisible in the air.

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