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According to the particle theory, particles move faster and further apart when exposed to higher temperatures. When a substance is heated, its particles acquire thermal energy. These energetic particles--which are constantly vibrating, even in solid form--become very excited, and move around much more, therefore requiring more space. The substance begins to increase in volume, creating larger spaces in between its molecules to accommodate the high-energy movement. This can also cause a change in state.

Particles of substance in a solid state: vibrating slightly, densely packed together, little space between molecules.

Compare to,

Particles of substance in a gaseous state: vibrating excitedly, larger spaces in between molecules, easily compressible (due to empty spaces)

If you were to cool a substance in gaseous form, the particles would begin to lose their thermal energy, and eventually change into a liquid state.

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Q: Substances expand when heated because the molecules?
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What happens to matter when heated?

When matter is heated it will expand


How does heat affect the molecules in a substance?

They rapidly vibrate. Yes, they do, but how rapidly depends on the amount of heat (kinetic energy) added to the molecules. If solid, they will eventually melt depending on which solid and what its melting point is. If liquid, they will eventually become a gas or vapor, and a gas will expand indefinitely into the atmosphere if not contained within something. Think of water: ice heats to liquid water which in turn becomes steam (vapor) which goes out into the atmosphere unless it is contained. If the container cannot expand and the water vapor (or any other gas) continues to be heated, eventually the gas will cause the container to explode because the internal pressure will exceed the ability of the container to hold it.


Why does metal expand when heated?

The over excited metal-molecules are rapidly accelerating when the metal is heated, and this excitement caused them to collide more frequently than usual and in more drastic and random motions. The increase in kinetic energy promotes expansion.


When most solids liquids and gases are heated they?

expand


Does heat expand rubber?

Whether a material expands or contracts when it is heated can be ascribed to a property of the material called its entropy. The entropy of a material is a measure of the orderliness of the molecules that make up the material. When the molecules are arranged in an ordered fashion, the entropy of the material is low. When the molecules are in a disordered arrangement, the entropy is high. (An ordered arrangement can be thought of as coins in a wrapper, while a disordered one as coins in a tray.) When a material is heated, its entropy increases because the orderliness of its molecules decreases. This occurs because as a material is heated, its molecules move about more energetically. In materials made up of small, compact molecules, e.g., the liquid in a thermometer, as the molecules move about more, they push their neighbouring molecules away. Rubber, on the other hand, contains very large, threadlike molecules. When rubber is heated, the sections of the molecules move about more vigorously. In order for one part of the molecule to move more vigorously as it is heated, it must pull its neighbouring parts closer. To visualize this, think of a molecule of the stretched rubber band as a piece of string laid out straight on a table. Heating the stretched rubber band causes segments of the molecules to move more vigorously, which can be represented by wiggling the middle of the string back and forth. As the middle of the string moves, the ends of the string get closer together. In a similar fashion, the molecules of rubber become shorter as the rubber is heated, causing the stretched rubber band to contract

Related questions

What do substances do when heated because of the molecules?

they expand


What happens to most substances when they are heated?

They expand due to the molecules speeding up.


Why do substances often expand when they are heated?

because the particles


Why substances often expand when they are heated?

because the particles


Why matters expand when heated?

Matter expands when heated, because molecules move farther apart.


What expands when it is heated?

Most substances expand when heated.


What expands when its heated?

Most substances expand when heated.


When most substances are heated they....?

They expand


Why do objects expands when heated?

They expand because their molecules vibrate more rapidly resulting in more space between the molecules which makes the object expand.


What do Metals and other substances do when heated?

materials usually expand when heated.


Why solids expand on heating?

That's because the molecules or atoms move faster, and in general have more energy.That's because the molecules or atoms move faster, and in general have more energy.That's because the molecules or atoms move faster, and in general have more energy.That's because the molecules or atoms move faster, and in general have more energy.


How much does an iron casting expand when heated?

because molecules dissolve or melt during the process and expands.