Differences between A) Solid, Liquid & …

• The Solid State:

Properties of solids:

1. Solids have a fixed shape and a fixed volume.
2. Solids cannot be compressed much.
3. Solids have high densities. They are heavy.
4. Solids do not fill their container completely.
5. Solids do not flow.

• The Liquid State:

Properties of liquids:

1. Liquids have a fixed volume but they have no fixed shape.
2. Like solids, liquids cannot be compressed much.
3. Liquids have moderate to high densities. They are usually less dense than solids.
4. They do not fill their container completely.
5. They generally flow easily.

The aquatic animals can breathe under water due to the presence of dissolved oxygen in water. Thus, we may conclude that solids, liquids and gases can diffuse into liquids. The rate of diffusion of liquids is higher than that of solids. This is due to the fact that in the liquid state, particles move freely and have greater space between each other as compared to particles in the solid state.

• The Gaseous State:

Properties of gases:

1. Gases have neither a fixed shape nor a fixed volume.
2. They can be compressed easily.
3. They have low densities.
4. They fill their container completely.
5. They flow easily.

The process of a liquid changing into vapour even below its boiling point is called evaporation. Whereas the temperature at which a liquid starts boiling at the atmospheric pressure is known as its boiling point.