Vocabulary
Chapter 3 – The States Of Matter
States of Matter
The physical forms of matter, which include solid, liquid, and gas
Solid
The state of matter in which the volume and shape of a substance are fixed
Liquid
The state of matter that has a definite volume but not a definite shape
Surface Tension
The force that acts on the surface of a liquid and that tends to minimize the area of the
surface
Viscosity
The resistance of a gas or liquid to flow
Gas
A form of matter that does not have a definite volume or shape.
Temperature
A measure of the movement of particles
Volume
A measure of the size of a body or region in three-dimensional space
Pressure
The amount of force exerted per unit area of a surface
Boyle’s Law
The law that states that the volume of a gas is inversely proportional to the pressure of a
gas when temperature is constant
Charles’ Law
The law that states that the volume of a gas is directly proportional to the temperature of
a gas when pressure is constant.
Change of State
The change of a substance from one physical state to another
Melting
The change of state in which a solid becomes a liquid by adding energy
Evaporation
The change of a substance from a liquid to a gas
Boiling
The conversion of a liquid to a vapor when the vapor pressure of the liquid equals the
atmospheric pressure
Condensation
The change of state from a gas to a liquid
Sublimation
The process in which a solid changes directly into a gas