Lesson 3

Gases, Liquids,
and Solids
 The Kinetic Molecular Theory of Matter
• Solids, liquids, gases are easily distinguished by using four common
physical properties of matter (1) volume and shape (2) density (3)
compressibility and (4) thermal expansion.
• Compressibility is a measure of change in volume of a sample of matter
resulting from a pressure change.
• Thermal expansion is a measure of the change in volume of a sample of
matter resulting from a temperature change.
• The Kinetic molecular theory of matter is a set of five statements used to
explain the physical behavior of the three states of matter.
• The basic idea of this theory is that the particles ( atoms, molecules, or
ions) present in a substance, independent of the physical state of the
substance, are always in motion.
Matter is ultimately composes of tiny particles ( atoms,
molecules, or ions) that are have definite and characteristic
sizes that do not change.
The particles are in constant random motion and therefore
possess kinetic energy.
Kinetic energy is energy that matter possesses
because of particle motion. An object that is in motion has
the ability to transfer its kinetic energy to another object
upon collision with that object.
Particles of opposite charge (one
positive and the other negative)
attract one another, and particles
of like charge ( both positive or
both negative) repel one another.
Further use of the term potential
energy in will mean potential
energy of electrostatic origin.
The kinetic energy
(velocity) of particles
increases as the
temperature is increased.
The average kinetic
energy(velocity) of all
particles in a system
depends on the
temperature; kinetic
energy increases as
temperature increases.
The particles in a system transfer energy to each other
through elastic collisions. In an elastic collision, the total
kinetic energy remains constant; no kinetic energy is lost.
• A solid is the physical state characterized
by a dominance of potential energy (
cohesive forces) over kinetic energy
(disruptive forces).
• Each particle occupies a fixed position,
about which it vibrates because of
disruptive kinetic energy.
1. Definite volume and definite shape. The
strong, cohesive forces hold the particles in
essentially fixed position, resulting in
definite volume and definite shape.
2. High density. The constituent particles of
solids are located as close together as
possible. Therefore, a given volume
contains large numbers of particles,
resulting in a high density.
3. Small compressibility. Because there is very little
space between particles, increased pressure cannot
push the particles any closer together, therefore, it
has little effect on the solid’s volume.
4. Very small thermal expansion. An increased
temperature increases the kinetic particles
(disruptive forces), thereby causing more vibrational
motion of the particles. Each particle occupies a
slightly larger volume, and the result is slight
expansion of the solid. The strong, cohesive forces
prevent this effect from becoming very large.
• A liquid is the physical state characterized by
potential energy (cohesive forces) and kinetic
energy (disruptive forces) of bout the same
magnitude.
• The liquid state consists of particles that are
randomly packed but relatively near one
another.
• The molecules are in constant, random motion;
they slide freely over one another but do not
move with enough energy to separate.
1. Definite volume and indefinite shape. The
attractive forces are strong enough to restrict
particles to movement within a definite volume.
They are not strong enough, however, to
prevent the particles from moving over each
other in a random manner that is limited only
by the container walls. Thus liquids have no
definite shape except that they maintain a
horizontal upper surface in containers that are
not completely filled.
2. High density. The particles in a liquid are not
widely separated; they are still touching one
another. Therefore, there will be a large
number of particles in a given volume.
3. Small compressibility. Because the particles
in a liquid are still touching each other, there is
very little empty space. Therefore, an increase
in pressure cannot squeeze in particles much
closer together.
4. Small thermal expansion. Most of the
particle movement in a liquid is vibrational
because a particle can move only a short
distance before colliding. The increased
particle velocity that accompanies a
temperature increase results only in increased
vibrational amplitude. The net effect is an
increase in the effective volume a particle
occupies, which causes a slight volume
increase in the liquid.
• A gas is the physical state characterized by a
complete dominance of kinetic energy
(disruptive forces) over potential energy
(cohesive forces).
• Attractive forces among particles are very
weak and, as a first approximation, are
considered to be zero. As a result, the
particles of a gas move essentially
independent of one another in a random
manner.
1. Indefinite volume and indefinite shape. The
attractive (cohesive) forces between particles
have been overcome by high kinetic energy,
and the particles are free to travel in all
directions. Therefore, gas particles completely
fill their container, and the shape of the gas is
that of the container.
2. Low density. The particles of a gas widely
separated. There are relatively few particles in
a given volume ( compared with liquids and
solids), which mean little mass per volume (low
density).
3. Large compressibility. Particles in a gas are
widely separated; essentially, a gas is mostly
empty space. When pressure is applied, the
particles are easily pushed over together,
decreasing the amount of empty space and the
volume of the gas.
4. Moderate thermal expansion. An increase in
temperature means an increase in particle
velocity. The increased kinetic energy of
particles enables them to push back whatever
barrier is confining them into a given volume,
and the volume increases.
Note that the size of the particles is not
changed during expansion or compression of
gases, solids, or liquids; they merely move
either farther apart or closer together. It is the
space between the particles that changes.
The behavior of a gas can be described
reasonably well by simple quantitative
relationships called gas laws.
A gas law is a generalization that
describes in mathematical terms the
relationships among the amount,
pressure, temperature, and a volume of
a gas.
• For a gas, the force that creates
pressure is that which is
exerted by the gas molecules or
atoms as they constantly
collide with the walls of their
container.
• Barometers, manometers, and
gauges are the instruments
most commonly used to
measure gas pressure.
• The air that surrounds Earth exerts pressure on
every object it touches.
• A barometer is a device used to measure
atmospheric pressure.
• Atmospheric pressure is expressed in terms of
the height of the barometer's mercury column,
usually in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).
• Another name for millimeters of mercury is
torr, used in honor of Evangelista Torricelli, the
Italian physicist who invented the barometer.
1 mmHg = 1 torr
• Atmospheric pressure varies
with the weather and the
altitude. It averages about 760
mm Hg at sea level, and it
decreases by approximately 25
mm Hg for every 1000-ft
increase in altitude.
• The pressure unit atmosphere
(atm) is defined in terms of this
average pressure at sea level.
By definition,
1 atm = 760 mm Hg = 760 torr
• Another commonly used
pressure unit is pounds per
square inch ( psi or lb/ in2).
• One atmospheric is equal to 14.7
psi.
1atm = 14.7 psi
• Standard procedure in obtaining pressure that are
based on the height of a column of mercury ( barometer
readings) is to estimate the column of height to the
closest millimeter. Thus such pressure readings have
an uncertainty in the “ones place,” that is, to the
closest millimeter of mercury.
• The preceding operational procedure means millimeter
of mercury pressure reading such as 750, 730, and 650
are considered to have three significant figures even
though no decimal point is explicitly shown after the
zero. Likewise, a pressure reading of 700 mm Hg or 600
mm Hg is considered to possess three significant
figures.