Practice State of Matter in Chemistry

Use these practice problems to test your method after reviewing the concept explanation and worked examples.

Quick Recap

The form matter takes depending on the arrangement and movement of its particles: solid, liquid, or gas (plus plasma).

Particles packed tight and vibrating = solid. Particles sliding past each other = liquid. Particles flying freely = gas.

Example 1

easy
Compare the three common states of matter (solid, liquid, gas) in terms of particle arrangement, shape, and volume.

Example 2

medium
Why can gases be compressed easily while liquids and solids cannot?

Example 3

easy
At room temperature, classify each as solid, liquid, or gas: (a) mercury, (b) oxygen, (c) table salt.

Example 4

hard
Glass appears solid but some claim it is actually a very slow-moving liquid because old windows are thicker at the bottom. Evaluate this claim using the particle model of solids and liquids.