Changing states
Changing states means when something changes from one form to another — like from a solid, to a liquid, or to a gas.
From the FuseSchool and Twinkl videos:
Solid: The particles are packed tightly together and don’t move much. Solids keep their own shape. (Example: ice)
Liquid: The particles are a bit farther apart and can move around. Liquids can flow and take the shape of their container. (Example: water)
Gas: The particles move freely in all directions and spread out. (Example: steam)
When things get hot or cold, they can change between these states:
Heating a solid (like ice) makes it melt into a liquid (water).
Heating a liquid makes it evaporate or boil into a gas (steam).
Cooling a gas makes it condense back into a liquid.
Cooling a liquid makes it freeze into a solid.
So, when you see an ice cube melt, or steam from boiling water, you’re watching a change of state happen!