What Are The States Of Matter?

Matter commonly exists in three states:

• the solid state
• the liquid state and
• the gaseous state

In all states the molecules of the matter are perpetually moving. In a solid state, molecules vibrate about fixed positions. Molecules in a liquid also vibrate but simultaneously they move freely throughout the material. In a gas the molecules are much further apart than in solids and liquids and high velocities.

All substances can be transformed from one state to another by changing temperature. Ice, water and steam are different states of the same substance.

There is fourth state of matter – the ionised state called plasma. Though this state is less common on earth, the sun and other stars are in this state.