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Questions tagged [states-of-matter]

Physicists classify matter according to the state of matter, which are gas, liquid and solid. A material is either in one of these states depending on the temperature and/or pressure applied to it. One characterises the state of matter by the mechanical response of a material under pressure.

Most of the characteristics of the states of matter can be understood using thermodynamics. Gas can be deformed without volume constraint under pressure. Liquid can be deformed with conservation of volume under pressure. Solid can not be deformed under pressure.

Modern condensed matter theory is concerned with much more states of matter than just the three classical ones. The reason is of course that quantum physics offers much more interaction than classical physics. Interactions between charges and/or spins lead for instance to plasma (metal) or magnetic ordering, and can not be understood without quantum formalism.

Note that the classification between all the states of matter is rather informal, and still under debate, especially for the quantum phases.

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Is there a state beyond gas?

If you could boil water in a sealed container until it became vapor and you still kept applying heat to it would something happen? Maybe gas to super-gas? This has been on my mind for a long time I really hope someone can help out.
Ayush Madan
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Is there an inherent difference between solids, liquids, and gases?

I know that at very large scales, solids behave like liquids, which is why planets are round, rather than knobbly. I also understand that you can pour some gases, and, if I have this right, that the air around the Earth is like a like an additional…
AlbeyAmakiir
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Difference between Steam and Fog / Mist

From a physics perspective, is there a difference between fog and steam? What is it and how does is manifest in properties of fog vs properties of steam?
user1264
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Does temperature of boiling solution stay constant?

Let us suppose we have a liquid with non-volatile solute, and the solution is raised to its boiling point by applying heat. Since the solvent is being evaporated, the concentration of solute will increase. Thus, the vapour pressure of solution will…
Archisman Panigrahi
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What causes compressed air (from "Dust Off" cans) to freeze, but only when turned upside down?

I am using some Dust Off brand cans to clean out a computer after an accident with concrete dust... long story. Inside one of these cans is a flurocarbon which quickly turns into a gas at room temperature. It is not ordinary air as that would be too…
Thomas O
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To which state of matter does the flame belong to?

I had this question from the day(9 years old, now 16) that i learned about states of matter. I have asked so many of my teachers some of them told me gas some as plasma etc. can anyone answer my question? Recently I've learnt that plasma state is…
Akshay Nagraj
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Why does water have several different solid phase but only one liquid and gas phase

Why does water have several different solid phase but only one liquid and gas phase? Is there any meaning? or any reason behind it? Or is it just the way the nature behaves?
el psy Congroo
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Fire belongs to which state of matter

Every thing is matter So In which state of matter fire will be considered? I haven't get it's proper answer.
Ayesha
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Compression of non-gaseous substances

I learned about gas laws and their ability to compress. My science teacher told me that solids and liquids are incompressible. But when I learned about nuclear fission in bombs, it talks about compressing the uranium. How is this so?
Ryan
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Pellet of lithium in a vacuum

What would happen to a grain of sand sized pellet of lithium in a vacuum? Because there is no pressure, would it become more like a sticky liquid?
cpc333
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Doubt about states of matter

What does exactly means "Small molecules may appear as solid, liquid, and gaseous phases without losing their molecular integrity"?, I can't image how just a molecule can be a gas, liquid or solid. Or in fact the previous phrase refers to the state…
shadraws
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Why do we say that at boiling point liquid and vapour exist in equilibrium?

I understand that at boiling point, vapour pressure becomes equal to the external pressure. But in my textbook it is written that at boiling point liquid and vapour exist in equilibrium. What does it mean by 'vapour and liquid exist in equilibrium'…
RIPAN BARUAH
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What is quark-gluon plasma?

My question is pretty simple: what is quark-gluon plasma? I searched it on Wikipedia and I didn’t understand a single word! of the article on the state of matter. In physics, a state of matter is one of the distinct forms in which matter can exist.…
alex
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Clarification of wording in matter phases

I read on the internet a sentence that went: The reactions can be done in the gaseous phase dispersed in liquids. Does this mean that the reactions can occur to the participants while they are in a gaseous form, and are dispersed in liquids? So…
Michael Mshtc
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How does a physical knock initiate freezing of supercooled water?

I just stumbled across this YouTube video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=iihz16t6MHs What's the mechanism behind it? With a knock, I added some energy. So what? With a knock, I also increased pressure, but water behaves opposite of most substances…
Earth is a Spoon
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