Properties of Solids, Liquids and Gases – The objects in the universe have unique properties. It is divided into solid, liquid and gas. So, what are the properties of solids, liquids and gases? Let’s find out more!
Do you know what matter is? Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space. Mass is the amount of matter an object contains. The mass of an object can be determined by weighing it.
The units commonly used to express the mass of an object are kilograms, pounds or grams.
Objects that occupy space can be measured by volume. Volume is the amount of space occupied by an object. The units commonly used to express the volume of an object are liters, gallons, or milliliters (ml).
To make it easier to know the properties of objects, they are grouped based on their form, namely solids, liquids, and gases.
Examples of solid objects around are numerous, such as clothes, spoons, watches, picture frames, notebooks, and chairs.
Examples of liquids around are sauces, gasoline, oil, milk, juice, and perfume.
And the examples of gases are air, water vapor and smoke.
What are the properties of solids, liquids, and gases?
Properties of Solids
Following are the properties of solids:
1. Have a fixed shape and volume
Try putting a pencil into a glass, then moving it into a bowl.
What will happen?
The pencil will remain in the form of a pencil!
Thus, the shape and volume of solid objects remain even though they are moved to different places.
However, solid objects can be deformed by pressing, cutting, hitting, or pulling on them. For example, plasticine can be deformed by pressing or wood will deform when cut.
2. Touchable
All solid objects are touchable. Try to touch your book, clothes, or pencil case. You can feel the surface of those things, right?
Properties of Liquids
Following are the properties of liquids:
1. Has a shape that always changes according to its container
What if a liquid such as water in a glass is moved into a bowl? What will happen?
Water that was initially shaped like a glass, will change to follow the shape of a bowl. So, a liquid has a shape that changes according to its container. Nonetheless, the volume remains.
2. Flowing from a high place to a lower place
Another property of liquids is flowing from a high place to a lower place. For example, river water flows from upstream in the mountains to the lower sea.
3. Can dissolve
Liquids can dissolve objects. For example, when making orange juice, sometimes we add sugar to the juice, then stir it.
What happened?
Over time the sugar becomes invisible. The sugar has dissolved with the juice, so it makes the juice sweet.
The mixing of sugar with orange juice is called dissolving. The dissolving of an object produces a solution.
4. The surface of a calm liquid is always flat
You can pouring water into a glass, then let it sit for a while. Pay attention to the water level in the glass. The surface of the water certainly looks flat. This shows that the surface of a calm liquid is always flat.
5. Can seep through small cracks
Liquids can seep through small cracks or pores of a certain object. This ability is called capillarity.
Read: Examples of Thermal Expansion in Everyday Life
Properties of Gases
The following are the properties of gases:
1. Can’t be seen, but can be felt and fills the room
We can feel gas objects, even though we can’t see them. For example, we can smell perfume even though we can’t see it.
Another example, if we approach the person who is burning, we will smell like a burnt smell even though we can’t see its form. Maybe just a wisp of smoke.
2. Always changing their shape and volume
Balloons and bicycle tires filled with gas. When gas is filled into a container, the gas will fill the entire space it occupies. Therefore, gases have a shape and volume that changes depending on where they are.
3. Shrink and expand
Gas objects have the property of being able to expand and shrink. Then, when gas objects can expand and when is the time to shrink?
Gases are very sensitive to changes in temperature. During the day, the air is hot. The heat of the air will make the gas object expand. That’s why if we let the balloon be exposed to heat, it will continue to expand until the rubber of the balloon can’t hold it anymore. Then, boom… Balloons pop!
Conversely, when the temperature drops the balloon will shrink. This explains why balloons deflate at night.
4. Fill the room
Before entering a room, try spraying perfume on your clothes! After that, go inside. Can the people in the room smell your perfume? If so, how could they smell it?
The answer, that’s because perfume turns into a gas after it dries. And one of the properties of gases is to fill the room.
5. Pressing in all directions
Gases have pressure. Just try to observe the surrounding air. Air can exert pressure in all directions.
We can see the same thing when blowing a balloon. When you blow up a balloon, the air will fill the balloon and push it in all directions. If you keep blowing it, the balloon will get bigger, and it will pop. It pops because the surface of the balloon is no longer able to withstand the pressure of the gas inside.
Read: Sources of Thermal Energy on Earth
That’s a complete explanation of the properties of solids, liquids and gases. I hope you understand and grow in insight.
