in whats ways do the 3 fundamental states of matter differ?

Answer 1

Gas: no fixed form or volume (gas expands to fill all the available space)

Liquid: no fixed from, but essentially fixed volume

Solid: essentially fixed form and volume

Answer 2

All things are made up of atoms and molecules (really tiny particles). Molecules of the same substance have affinity towards each other i.e they tend to stick together. The 3 fundamental states of matter differ in the degree of affinity:

Solids: Molecules have max affinity. They cannot move away from one another. Hence they retain shape and size.

Liquids: Molecules have medium affinity for each other. They can move away from one another to a small degree. So they kind of stay together but take the shape of the container.

Gases: Molecules have least affinity for each other. They can move away from one another to a large degree.

Answer 3

The difference is the amount of room each particle of the substance has to move.

In a liquid, the particles can flow over each other. In a gas, the particles are free to basically move anywhere, only bouncing of each other and hitting the walls of their container.

And, in a solid, the particles of the substance are barely capable of moving at all.

Answer 4

Obviously, gaseous matter expands to fill the availble space, and therefore has no limited shape or direction of travel.

Liquid matter fills available space acording to it's spatial restrictions. Under gravity (on a planet), it flows downhill, fills any crevaces, and holds uniform surface perpendicular to gravity. Outside of gravity (in space) it forms spherical forms of itself or around other objects.

Solid matter has determinite shape. For most solids, the shape is not alterable without transition to a liquid state.

Answer 5

They generally differ in the density of the molecules. Solids are more dense and gases are the least dense.

Answer 6

the main difference is in the ways they are handled or stored. Temperature, pressure and volume differ.