The Four States of Matter - Explained

Summary

In this educational video, Mr. Millings explores the four states of matter: solid, liquid, gas, and plasma. He explains the particle arrangement and properties of each state, emphasizing how they differ in shape, volume, and compressibility. The video also covers phase transitions such as melting, evaporation, condensation, freezing, sublimation, and deposition, highlighting the physical changes and energy exchanges involved. Mr. Millings concludes by stressing the importance of understanding energy's role in these transitions.

Takeaways

• 🧊 The four states of matter are solid, liquid, gas, and plasma.
• 🔍 Solids have tightly packed particles with a definite shape and volume, and are not easily compressible.
• 💧 Liquids have particles that are closer together than gases but take the shape of their container, maintaining a definite volume.
• 🌬️ Gases have large spaces between particles, are in constant motion, and can expand to fill their container, being easily compressible.
• 🌌 Plasma is a superheated, ionized gas found in extremely hot environments like stars and certain types of lighting.
• 🔥 The process of changing from solid to liquid is called melting, and from liquid to gas is called evaporation.
• 🧊 The process of changing from gas to liquid is called condensation, and from liquid to solid is called freezing.
• 🌬️ Sublimation is the process where a solid turns directly into a gas without becoming a liquid first, like dry ice does.
• ❄️ Deposition is the process where gas turns directly into a solid without becoming a liquid, which is how snow is formed.
• 🔄 All changes in state of matter are physical changes, with no chemical change occurring in the substance itself.
• ⚡️ Energy is either absorbed or released during changes in state of matter, such as melting (absorbing energy) and freezing (releasing energy).

Q & A

What are the four states of matter mentioned in the script?

The four states of matter mentioned in the script are solid, liquid, gas, and plasma.

What is the characteristic particle arrangement in a solid?

In a solid, particles are very close to one another, tightly packed, and often form geometric patterns.

How does the shape of a solid differ from that of a liquid?

Solids have a definite shape, whereas liquids take the shape of their container.

What happens to the particle arrangement as matter transitions from solid to liquid?

As matter transitions from solid to liquid, particles spread out and move further away from each other.

Is a solid compressible? If so, to what extent?

Solids are generally not compressible, but they can be compressed a tiny bit under extreme conditions.

How does the space between particles in a gas compare to that in a solid or liquid?

The space between particles in a gas is much greater than in solids or liquids, allowing for more freedom of movement.

What is the process called when a solid turns into a liquid?

The process of a solid turning into a liquid is called melting.

How does the process of evaporation differ from condensation?

Evaporation is the process of a liquid turning into a gas, while condensation is the process of a gas turning back into a liquid.

What is plasma, and where is it commonly found?

Plasma is a superheated, ionized gas and is commonly found in areas of extreme heat, such as stars and plasma TVs.

What is sublimation, and how does it differ from deposition?

Sublimation is the process where a solid turns directly into a gas without passing through the liquid stage, while deposition is the process where a gas turns directly into a solid.

Are changes in the state of matter physical or chemical changes? Why?

Changes in the state of matter are physical changes because they involve a change in the arrangement of particles without altering the chemical composition of the substance.

How does energy relate to changes in the state of matter?

Energy is either absorbed or released during changes in the state of matter. For example, energy is absorbed during melting and evaporation, while it is released during freezing and condensation.

Outlines

00:00

🧊 Introduction to States of Matter

Mr. Millings introduces the concept of the four states of matter: solid, liquid, gas, and plasma. He explains that all matter can exist in one of these states and gives examples for each: ice cubes for solids, water droplets for liquids, water vapor for gases, and plasma as seen in plasma TVs. The video aims to teach the differences between these states, compare and contrast them, and explore changes in state such as melting, freezing, evaporation, condensation, sublimation, and deposition.

05:00

💧 Properties of Solids and Liquids

The script describes the properties of solids and liquids. Solids have tightly packed particles that form geometric patterns and have a definite shape and volume. They are not easily compressible. An example given is a ping pong ball, which is spherical. Liquids, on the other hand, have particles that are less tightly packed than solids, allowing them to take the shape of their container. They have a definite volume but an indefinite shape. The example of water is used to illustrate this, noting that it can be poured into different containers and will take their shape.

10:02

🌬️ Properties of Gases and Plasma

The script discusses the properties of gases and plasma. Gases have particles that are much farther apart than those in solids and liquids, and they move quickly and chaotically. They have an indefinite volume and shape, taking the shape of their container. Gases are easily compressible due to the large amount of space between particles. Plasma is described as a superheated ionized gas found in extreme heat environments like stars or plasma TVs. The script also covers changes in state of matter, including melting, evaporation, condensation, freezing, sublimation, and deposition, emphasizing that these are physical changes, not chemical ones.

🔥 Energy Changes in States of Matter

This part of the script focuses on the energy changes associated with different states of matter. When a solid melts into a liquid, it absorbs energy, and when a liquid boils into a gas, it absorbs even more energy. Conversely, when a gas condenses into a liquid, it releases energy, and when a liquid freezes into a solid, it also releases energy. The script emphasizes that understanding these energy changes is crucial for grasping the concept of changes in state of matter.

Keywords

💡States of Matter

The states of matter refer to the distinct forms in which matter can physically exist. In the video, Mr. Millings introduces four primary states: solid, liquid, gas, and plasma. These states are fundamental to understanding the behavior of matter under different conditions, such as temperature and pressure changes.

💡Solid

A solid is a state of matter where particles are closely packed together in a fixed arrangement, maintaining a definite shape and volume. In the script, Mr. Millings uses ice cubes as an example of solids, noting their geometric patterns and resistance to compression.

💡Liquid

Liquids are a state of matter where particles are less densely packed than in solids, allowing them to flow and take the shape of their container. Water droplets are used as an example in the video, illustrating how liquids have a definite volume but an indefinite shape.

💡Gas

Gases are a state of matter characterized by particles that are widely spaced and move freely in all directions. The script mentions that gases have neither a definite shape nor volume, and they can be compressed easily, as seen with the example of air filling a balloon.

💡Plasma

Plasma is described as a superheated, ionized gas found in extremely high-temperature environments like stars or plasma TVs. It represents the fourth state of matter and is formed when a gas is heated to very high temperatures.

💡Particle Arrangement

Particle arrangement refers to how the individual particles of matter are organized in space. The video explains how the arrangement differs between solids, liquids, gases, and plasma, affecting their properties such as shape, volume, and compressibility.

💡Melting

Melting is the process by which a solid changes into a liquid upon the absorption of heat energy. The script uses the example of ice cubes melting into water to illustrate this transition from solid to liquid state.

💡Evaporation

Evaporation is the process where a liquid turns into a gas, which is part of the transition from liquid to gas state. The video mentions this occurring when water heats up and turns into water vapor at 100°C.

💡Condensation

Condensation is the process where a gas turns back into a liquid, releasing energy. In the script, this is exemplified by water vapor condensing back into liquid water, often seen when warm air meets a cold surface.

💡Freezing

Freezing is the process by which a liquid turns into a solid, releasing heat energy. The video script describes freezing as the reverse of melting, where water turns into ice, illustrating the transition from liquid to solid state.

💡Sublimation

Sublimation is a process where a solid turns directly into a gas without passing through the liquid state. The script uses dry ice as an example, where solid carbon dioxide sublimates directly into gaseous carbon dioxide.

💡Deposition

Deposition is the process where a gas turns directly into a solid without becoming a liquid first. This is mentioned in the context of how snow is formed when water vapor in the atmosphere cools down and deposits as ice, bypassing the liquid stage.

💡Physical Changes

Physical changes refer to alterations in the state of matter that do not involve a change in chemical composition. The video emphasizes that all changes in states of matter, such as melting, freezing, evaporation, and condensation, are physical changes because the substance remains chemically the same (e.g., H2O in all states).

Highlights

Introduction to the four states of matter: solid, liquid, gas, and plasma.

Solids have tightly packed particles with a definite shape and volume.

Liquids have particles with more space between them and take the shape of their container.

Gases have particles that are far apart, move quickly, and have an indefinite volume and shape.

Plasma is a superheated ionized gas found in areas of extreme heat, like stars.

The process of changing from solid to liquid is called melting.

Evaporation is the process of changing from liquid to gas.

Condensation is the process where water vapor turns back into liquid.

Freezing is the process of changing from liquid to solid.

Sublimation is when a solid turns directly into a gas without becoming liquid first.

Deposition is the process where gas turns directly into a solid without becoming liquid.

All changes in state of matter are physical changes, with no chemical change occurring.

Energy is either absorbed or released during changes in state of matter.

Solids are not easily compressible.

Liquids can be slightly compressible under pressure.

Gases are easily compressible due to the large space between particles.

The particle arrangement in solids forms geometric patterns.

The volume of a solid can be calculated using geometric formulas.

The shape of liquids is determined by their container.

The volume of a gas is determined by its container and is indefinite.

Transcripts

hey you guys this is Mr millings and

today we're going to learn about the

four states of matter so what are the

four states of matter and how do they

work well the four states of matter are

right here in front of you all matter

can exist in one of four states matter

can exist in the solid state like the

ice cubes that you see right here matter

can exist in the liquid state kind of

like the droplets of water that you see

right here matter can exist in the gas I

State like you see right here this iron

here is emitting water vapor as it heats

up the water turns into water vapor at

100° C and last but not least all matter

can exist in this fourth state of matter

called plasma okay so kind of like in a

plasma TV that's hanging from your

living room wall okay so all matter can

exist in one of these four states and

what we're going to do in this video is

we're going to learn about the

differences between between each state

of matter we're going to compare them

we're going to contrast them and then

last but not least we're going to take a

look at changes in state of matter as we

go from solid to liquid liquid to gas or

gas to liquid or liquid to solid or

solid to gas and gas to solid etc etc

all right so let's Jump Right In here

and take a look at the four states of

matter all right so what we have here is

a little table of the four states of

matter we have solids we have liquids we

have gases and we have plasma right here

and if we take a look at the particle

Arrangement or the space between the

particles that make up a solid we'll

notice that these particles are very

very close to one another they're very

tightly packed and often times the

particles that make up a solid are going

to form uh geometric patterns okay so

particles that make up a solid they're

very close together they're just kind of

vibrating back and forth and they form

geometric patterns if I were to ask you

what the shape of a pingpong ball is you

might say that it is spherical that is

because uh solids tend to have a

definite shape they have a definite

shape a pingpong ball is spherical in

nature if I were to ask you what the

volume of a ping pong ball is you can

probably use the uh the formula of a

sphere to calculate the volume of that

that ping pong ball that is because

solids tend to have a definite shape

okay so solids if you take a look right

here they have a definite shape they

have a definite volume the particle

arrangement as you see right here tend

to be very close to one another and form

tightly packed geometric patterns also

you should know that solids are not

compressible or they're often times uh

they're not compressible and every once

in a while you can compress them a tiny

little bit but generally speaking solids

are not compressable you can't squeeze

them together for example if you put

your hand on a desk you can't compress

that desk any further it's made of solid

material okay let's take a look at

liquids right here if we take a look at

the space between the particles of a

liquid we'll notice that the spaces

between them are greater than the the

distances or spaces between the

particles that make up a solid right so

as you go from solid to liquid the

particles have a tendency to spread out

as you go from an ice cube to liquid

water these particles these water

molecules are going to move further away

from each other okay so spaces between a

the particles that make up a a liquid

have a little bit more space than they

do in a solid if I were ask you uh how

much uh how much space does water take

up

well water also has a definite shape we

can pour that into a graduated cylinder

and determine the volume of that liquid

water quite simply all right what about

the shape what if I ask you what the

shape of water is that's kind of a weird

question and you might say to yourself

well Mr millings the shape of water H it

takes the shape of its container right

if you put water in a glass and that

water is going to take the shape of a

glass glass okay if you put water in a

bowl then it takes the shape of that

bowl so water or liquids tend to have an

in indefinite shape and they have a

tendency to take the shape of their

container all right last but not least

you should know that Waters I'm sorry

liquids are compressible you can

compress them just a little bit if you

squeeze these particles together just a

little bit you can do so and they'll

turn back into into solid ice at some

point okay Under Pressure so understand

that concept let's take a look at gases

if you take a look at the space between

each particle of the gas here you will

notice that the spaces are even uh

further away from one another they're

they have a great greater distance

between the particles so as you go from

solid to liquid they move away from one

another and as you go from liquid to gas

they move away from each other even

further and these guys are moving pretty

quickly they're all around they're

bouncing off the walls back and forth

there's a lot of chaos going on between

these little gas particles here so

understand that concept that there's a

lot of space between these uh these gas

particles here what about the volume

well if I ask you what the shape I'm

sorry the volume of a gas is if I ask

you what the volume of the gas in a

classroom is it's indefinite really it

really depends on on the container that

that that gas is in right and if I

wanted to move the four walls of this

classroom in we'll notice that the gas

is volume will also decrease okay so the

the volume of a gas is in definite it

really depends uh upon the container

that that gas is in what if I ask you

about the shape of a gas well gases also

have a tendency to take a shape of a

container that they're in for example if

I fill up a balloon with air from my

lungs then that gas from my lungs being

expelled is going to take the shape of

that balloon that is because the shape

of a gas is indefinite it takes the

shape of whatever container it's in and

last but not least you should know that

the gases are easily compressible if you

take a look at the distance between

these particles of a gas here you can

see that you can squeeze them together

quite simply right because there's a lot

of space between them all right so those

are the differences between solids

liquids and gases understand those

Concepts understand the particle

arrangement that solids are close

together tightly packed as you heat is

solid up they're going to have a

tendency to melt and move away from one

another a little bit and as you continue

to heat this liquid up what's going to

end up happening is that these particles

are going to move even further away from

one another and have more kinetic energy

and move more freely about with a lot

more speed and energy all right so

understand that concept last but not

least let's take a look at plasma what

do you need to know about plasma well if

you continue to heat a gas up super hot

like as hot as it gets in Stars you will

have this fourth state of matter called

plasma and plasma is really nothing more

than a superheated ionized gas that's

found in areas of extreme heat like like

in stars like in your plasma TV all

right so you have really superheated gas

that turns into this for state of matter

called plasma so now let's take a look

at changes in state of matter and see

what happens to the amount of energy

that uh that occurs when you start

changing state of matter all right if we

take a look right here we're going to

talk a little bit about changes in state

of matter so what happens as you go from

solid to liquid liquid to gas gas back

to liquid

and liquid back to

solid well if we take a look right here

there's some terms that you're going to

have to know as you go from solid to

liquid that process is called melting as

you go from liquid to gas that's that

process is called

evaporation uh if you go from the other

direction here is you go from water

vapor to water that process is called

condensation and as you go from uh water

or liquid to uh say ice which is in the

solid state

that process is going to be called

freezing a few more vocabulary terms you

need to know there's something called

sublimation and this is

uh this is when a solid goes directly to

a gas without passing the liquid stage

first and you can think of dry ice right

if we take a look at dry ice we've got a

chunk of carbon dioxide that's in the

solid stage so this is

CO2 that's in the solid stage and if

you've ever seen dry ice it's emitting

carbon dioxide that's in the gaseous

stage right so you got a solid going

directly to a gas without hitting the

liquid stage first and that's called

sublimation okay that's called

sublimation okay if we take a look at

the other way this is how snow is made

it's made in a process called

deposition uh those water molecules way

up in the uh the Earth's atmosphere that

are in the gaseous stage right what's

happening to them is that they are

cooling down super super quickly right

they're cooling down super quickly and

losing a lot of energy very quickly so

quickly that they bypass the liquid

stage and turn into solid ice hail or

snow okay so that's what's happening

there so understand the different

terminologies you have melting you have

freezing you have evaporation

condensation sublimation and deposition

and understand this concept right here

that all changes in state of matter are

always going to be physical changes

right if we take a look this is ice

that's in the solid stage if we melt it

it's still considered water right we

have ice which is H2O here we have water

now that's in the liquid stage but it's

still H2O and if we continue to heat

this up we'll have water Vaper but you

guessed it it's still H2O so all changes

in state of matter are going to be

physical changes no chemical change

takes place here we have water here we

have water here and we have water here

all right one last thing you should

probably pay attention to is the amount

of energy that's associated with each

one of these little changes in state of

matter as we go from solid to liquid and

liquid to gas uh what's happening here

is that this solid ice here needs to

absorb a certain amount of thermal

energy in order to melt and turn into

water and then this water here is going

to have to absorb a certain amount of

thermal energy to bring it to boil at

100° C and turn into water vapor so as

you go this this way right uh energy is

being absorbed by the system and as you

go the other way energy is being

released by the system so in order for

this water here sorry the water vapor

here to turn back into water it's going

to have to lose a significant amount of

energy in a process called

condensation right and as this liquid

water here turns into solid ice or ice

cubes here it too is going to have to

release a certain amount of energy in

order to do so in a process called

freezing so understand that concept so

these are the four states of matter

that's how they work uh here's all the

the vocabulary terms you'll need to know

when we talk about changes in state of

matter and I hope you understand the

concept that energy is either last or

absorbed during these different changes

in state of matter so if you like what

you see go ahead and click that little

palm in the bottom right hand corner and

I hope this was helpful