Solids Liquids and Gases Physics Gcse

Look at these pictures. Label them as solid, liquid or gas.

Use them to help you cross out the wrong information in the table below so you are left with only the correct information.

solid liquid gas

Extension: Using your table above, explain the following

a) Why does a solid have a fixed shape? A solid has a fixed shape because the particles are very close together and arranged in strong regular lines although they vibrate the particles are so packed together they can’t move.

b) Why can a gas be easily squashed? A gas can be easily squashed because the particles are very far apart and fast moving. This means that there’s a lot of free space between the particles so the gas can be easily compressed.

c) Why can a liquid be easily poured? A liquid can be easily poured because the particles are slightly further apart than in a solid. The particles are close but free to move past each other but they do all stick together. The particles can fill out the bottom of a container and move freely because of the particles that aren’t tightly packed together.

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|State (solid, liquid or gas) |Behavior of the particles |
| |Spacing - the particles are… |Arrangement - the particles are… |Movement - the particles are… |
|Solid |very close together |quite disordered |fast moving with occasional |
| |slightly further apart |totally randomly arranged |collisions |
| |very far apart |regularly arranged |changing positions with frequent |
| | | |collisions