Question

The three main states of matter are solids, liquids, and gases. Compare the three states with reference to the following characteristic of matter -

Compressibility

Answer 1

• Compressibility is the property of being compressed or bringing close the particles of matter by pressure into a smaller space.
• This feature is caused by spaces present between the particles and the change in shape is caused by the pressure bringing the particles closer together.
• Because of the large intermolecular spaces between the particles, which can be reduced by compression, liquids, and gases have a tendency to compress while solids do not due to the absence of intermolecular spaces.

Solids are incompressible in nature.

Liquids are slightly incompressible in nature.

Gases are compressible in nature.