Why is matter found in three different states?

Answer 1

Matter is generally found in three states (solid, liquid or gas) because we chose that as a way to look at stuff. We come into contact with most matter within a "window" of temperatures. And that matter will be solid, liquid or gas. Let's look at the relationship between temperature and the state of matter of a some stuff. When things are at room temperature, water is liquid. We can get a drink of iced tea using a glass vessel. The glass is a solid at room temperature. So is the spoon we use to stir in a bit of sugar. We're breathing air all this time. The elements of air are gases at room temperature. It's temperature that the various materials around us are responding to, and that's pretty much what determines the state of matter of a given material. Glass is liquid when it's being manufactured. The spoon was created from iron what was a liquid. It's hot in those places where liquid glass or liquid metal is. If we subject anything to an electric arc, we can heat it so much, it will turn to a gas. On the other end of the spectrum, water will turn to ice if it gets cold enough. We've seen that out the window or in the ice cubes in a drink. Under special conditions, we can even get air to liquify, and gases to solidify. (Helium is the exception.) Why is matter found in three states? It's all about the stuff that's being considered and temperature of that stuff. We've left out a couple of other states of matter. One is plasma. The sun is a plasma. It's terribly hot there. That electric arc we mentioned is so hot it generates a plasma. (So does lightning.) And there are some really weird things going on near absolute zero. Get a good handle on the basic there states of matter and then start looking at plasma and at things like Bose-Einstein condensates.

Answer 2

There are actually 5 phases of matter, only three of which occur normally on Earth.

- solid

- liquid

- gas

The other two are closely related to gases, but at the extremes of temperature.

- plasma (ionized gas at very high temperatures)

- Bose-Einstein condensates (extremely dilute gases that condense near absolute zero)

Answer 3

There are now 5 phases of matter. 1. A. Bose Einstein concentrates can exist in some elements at around one degree absolute. In such a phase, millions of atoms act like a single atom and the speed of light is almost zero. 2. Next are solids. These are hard like ice, wood, steel. When ice or iron freezes, they become solid. 3. Next come liquids. When solid elements are heated, they melt. (Sometimes solid compounds will not melt but separate into component parts. If you heat sugar, first you drive off water and create caramel) Ice turns into water. Candle wax melts and drips on your rug. 4. Next come gasses. As temperature increases even more, items become gasses. Water boils and turns into steam. Much of the wax in the candle turns into vapor and burns. Gasoline turns into vapor to drive an engine. 5. Last, when items become hot enough, they become plasmas. In them you have charged particles separated. You might have seen arc welding, or you may have seen the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights.

Answer 4

Matter exists in three different states—solid, liquid, and gas—due to differences in the arrangement and movement of its particles. In solids, particles are closely packed in a fixed arrangement and vibrate in place; in liquids, particles are close together but can move past each other; and in gases, particles are far apart and move freely. These states arise from variations in temperature and pressure that affect the energy and interactions of the particles.

Answer 5

Gas,Solid,Liquid is the three phases of the matter.