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Matter and Its States

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Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space. It exists mainly in three states: solid, liquid, and gas. In solids, particles are tightly packed and vibrate in place, giving solids a definite shape and volume. Liquids have particles that are close but can move around, giving them a definite volume but no fixed shape. Gases have particles far apart and moving freely, so they neither have fixed shape nor fixed volume. Changes in temperature and pressure can cause matter to change from one state to another?for example, water can freeze into ice or boil into steam. These changes are called physical changes, as the substance itself doesn?t change chemically. Understanding states of matter helps explain everyday phenomena such as melting ice, boiling water, or inflating a balloon.

Key Points
The three primary states of matter are solid, liquid, and gas.
Solids have a definite shape and volume.
Liquids have a definite volume but take the shape of their container.
Gases do not have a fixed shape or volume.
Temperature affects the state of matter.
Boiling changes liquid to gas.
Freezing changes liquid to solid.
Melting is a change from solid to liquid.
Condensation changes gas to liquid.
Evaporation occurs at the surface of a liquid.
Ice melts at 0?C.
Water boils at 100?C under standard pressure.
Gas particles move faster than solid ones.
Plasma is another state of matter found in stars.
Solids can be crystalline or amorphous.
Physical changes don?t alter chemical identity.
Pressure can turn gas into liquid.
All matter is made of atoms.
The states of matter are reversible.
Everyday changes like cooking involve changes in state.
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