| Particles
and Waves
Learn
about the properties of particles and waves.
Solids,
Liquids, and Gases
Particles in a solid have less average thermal energy than
the particles in its liquid or gaseous form. Substances can
also undergo chemical changes that produce new substances
with different characteristics. Physical changes do not bring
about the alterations in the properties of matter that chemical
changes do. Substances differ greatly in mass, volume, shape,
density, texture, reaction to temperature and light, and in
many other ways. Most substances can exist in different states
or phases. A wave is electromagnetic energy that travels at
the speed of light.
Solid
In the solid state the particles are close together, usually
in orderly arrangements. Substances can undergo physical changes
that only alter the shape, form, volume, or density of the
material but produce no change in chemical composition. If
the temperature of a solid is increased, its atoms or molecules
tend to move farther apart and can slide past one another
while still remaining loosely-bound. This usually means it
turns into a gas
or liquid form.
Liquid
Liquids are materials in which the atoms or molecules are
close to each other as solids, but the materials can slip
over each other to change places.
Gases
Gas, or vapor, is the most energetic phase of matter commonly
found here on earth. The particles of gas, either atoms or
molecules, hare to much energy to settle down attached to
each other.
Solid
and a wave
The right
Particles joined together the make solid figure.The left is
a Wave that travels at the speed of light.
The
heat make it spread
If
the
temperature of solid is increased, its atoms or molecules
tend to move farther apart and can slide past one another
while still remaining loosely-bound.
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