Solids, Liquids, and Gases: The Three States of Matter
Matter is all around you. Your computer is matter. Air is matter. Water is matter. You are matter. In fact, you are made of the 3 major states of matter; solid, liquid and gas.
Solids: Atoms that don't have much energy tend to stay in place and form a solid. A solid has a definite size and shape. Atoms in a solid vibrate or jiggle but do not move from place to place.
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Ice
Liquids: Liquids are formed when temperature is increased and atoms gain energy. The atoms then move faster and spread out. Liquids don't have a definite shape but take the shape of the container they're in. If you pour liquid into a bottle, it will take the shape of that container.
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Water
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Gas: You can feel gas when the wind blows. Air is made of many gases and is all around you. A gas is matter that has no shape, size or color of its own. As the temperature of a gas increases (when energy is added) the atoms move quickly, become widely separated and spread out in all directions. The atoms spread out equally in any container it is in. Think of a balloon. The atoms are spread equally throughout the entire balloon.
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Gas
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