7 characteristics of the SOLID state of matter

The characteristics of the solid state They are that the particles are united, they are very close, they have a high density... In a Teacher we tell you.

When we talk about the States of the material, we are referring to the way in which we can find matter in the nature that surrounds us, the best known states are the liquid state, the gaseous state and the solid state, although there is also a fourth state, less common in everyday life, known as the state of plasma. In today's lesson we tell you what it is and what are the solid state characteristics.

To begin, let's see what the solid state is. As mentioned above, this is one of the 4 States of the material.

If you look around you, you can see that most of the objects around you are in a solid state, for example: a book, a table, a ball, a stone, a tree. All these objects have certain characteristics in common, they have a definite shape and do not change when you touch or manipulate them. This happens because in this state the particles that make up matter are very close together

Let's see it in more detail... The solid state is characterized by having a defined volume and shape. The forces of attraction that exist between the particles are very strong, so they do not tend to move, they present a movement of vibration, but it is fixed, so they are rigid, unlike what happens in the liquid or gaseous state, in which the particles present more movements and are more separated. Solids have their own shapes and are incomprehensible.

solid types

Solids in turn can be classified according to the arrangement of their molecules in crystalline solids and amorphous solids:

• The crystalline ones present an ordered structure forming what we know as crystals, for example: table salt.
• On the other hand, the amorphous ones have a disordered structure, that is to say, their molecules are arranged randomly, for example: glass, although it seems to indicate the opposite. Both quartz and glass are composed of a high silicate content, but quartz is a crystalline solid unlike glass.

Solids also have other characteristics, generally they are denser than liquids and gases. Some solids can be transparent, like glass, or opaque, like stone.

Let's look at some of the solid state features:

1. Structure and organization: As mentioned before, particles in the solid state are tightly packed and ordered, forming a regular structure. This gives a defined shape and volume to objects in a solid state.
2. Particle proximity: When we talk about particles we refer to the atoms, molecules or ions that make up a material. In the solid state, these particles are very close to each other and remain fixed in one position. Although the particles have the ability to vibrate in place, they do not move.
3. Strength and rigidity: It is the resistance capacity to undergo deformations under the application of an external force. Solids can change shape only if their resistance is overcome. They are not easily deformed and require a significant amount of force to change their shape or overcome their resistance. For example, a steel bar is more rigid than a wooden board.
4. high density: Unlike liquids and gases, they have a high density. This means that there are more particles or more mass per unit volume.
5. Elasticity: is the measure of the material's resistance to elastic deformation. Some solids have the ability to be temporarily deformed by force and then return to their original shape when the force ends.
6. Hardness and brittleness: varies depending on its composition. It is the physical strength that a solid presents, that is, it is the resistance that it presents when subjected to a specific force. A solid is brittle when it breaks easily without deforming, and a solid is hard when it is difficult to scratch its surface. For example, the solid that is known to have the greatest hardness is diamond and the one with the least hardness, that is, the softest, is talc.
7. melting and boiling point: This characteristic is related to the changes of state of matter. The melting point is the temperature at which a solid material can become a liquid. They also have a boiling point, which is the temperature at which a solid can turn into a gas. For example: crystalline solids melt at a certain temperature, becoming liquid crystals. On the other hand, amorphous solids do not have a defined melting point.

All these characteristics of the solid state are what differentiate it from the liquid and gaseous state.

Balviano J. A., Deprati A. M., Diaz G. F., Franco R. (2015). "Physics and chemistry 2: Matter: corpuscular model, changes and electrical character. Magnetism. forces and fields. 1st ed. Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. Santillana.