When you look at a glass of water, do you think that the water is moving? You might have read or heard that matter is made up of tiny particles that are moving very fast, but that is hard to believe when you are starring at a glass of water that is obviously not moving. So how can we provide evidence for this idea that liquids are made up of tiny particles that are in rapid motion?

In this lesson we will explore the differences in solids, liquids and gases. If you haven’t already observed the differences in solids, liquids and gases, take a moment to write down a few observations of each state of matter. You might come up with the observation that solids do not change shape, nor volume. Liquids can take the shape of whatever container it fills, but its volume remains constant. The shape and volume of gases can change dependent on the container it fills.

As we continue to observe the states of matter, we will focus on identifying the similarities and differences in solids, liquids and gases at the sub-microscopic level. We will also provide evidence for the idea that liquids are made of tiny particles that are in constant rapid movement. Let’s explore!