CBSE CLASS IX

STATES OF MATTER

For any substance, why does the temperature remain constant during the change of state?
The temperature remains constant during the change of state. The temperature of the substance
does not increase (or decrease) as the heat is used (or released) to overcome the force of
attraction (or as the particles come closer). This heat energy absorbed (or released) is known as
the latent heat. The temperature of the substance remains the same as latent heat is supplied to it
or is released by it.

Suggest a method to liquefy atmospheric gases

Atmospheric gases liquefy at very low temperatures. It is not possible to attain such low
temperatures. However, we can liquefy atmospheric gases without attaining such low
temperatures. Atmospheric gases can be liquefied by compressing them. When the atmospheric
gases are compressed, the particles of gases come closer to each other and as we keep on
compressing the gases, the particles keep coming closer and closer to each other. When the
pressure on the atmospheric gases becomes large enough, then the gases liquefy. Thus,
atmospheric gases can be liquefied by compressing them.

Give two reasons to justify— (a) Water at room temperature is a liquid. (b) An iron
almirah is a solid at room temperature.
(a) Water at room temperature has a definite volume, but it does not have a definite shape. Thus,
water at room temperature is a liquid.
(b) An iron almirah at room temperature has a definite volume as well as a definite shape. Thus,
an iron almirah at room temperature is a solid.

Why is ice at 273 K more effective in cooling than water at the same temperature?
Ice at 273 K would absorb latent heat as well as the heat energy in order to attain the room
temperature. Water at 273 K would just absorb heat energy in order to attain the room
temperature. Thus, the water at 273 K would absorb less amount of heat energy from the
surroundings as compared to ice at 273 K. Therefore, ice at 273 K is more effective in cooling
than water at the same temperature.

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What produces more severe burns, boiling water or steam?

Steam has a hidden heat called latent heat. Boiling water does not have this latent heat. Due to
this extra heat, steam produces more severe burns than boiling water.

Rigidity:
Rigidity is the physical property of being stiff and resistance to bending or flowing. Solids are
highly rigid. Liquids and gases are not rigid. Thus, they can easily flow and bend. Thus, liquids
and gases are called fluids.
Compressibility:
Compressibility is the property of being able to occupy less space. Solids cannot be compressed
easily. Liquids can be compressed but only to a limit. Gases are highly compressible.
Fluidity:
Fluidity is the ability to flow. Liquids and gases can flow. Thus, they are known as fluids.
Filling a gas container:
Gases are highly compressible. Thus, large volumes of gases are compressed and stored in
containers so that they are easier to store and transport.
Shape:
Solids have definite shape and retain their shape till an outside force changes its shape. Liquids
and gases do not have a definite shape. They take the shape of the container in which they are
kept.
Kinetic Energy:
Kinetic energy is the energy possessed by objects by virtue of their motion. The greater the speed
of motion, the larger is the kinetic energy. The particles of matter are continuously moving. They
possess the kinetic energy. The motion of the particles is the maximum in solid and is the
minimum in gases. Thus, the particles of solid have the maximum kinetic energy and the
particles of gases have the minimum kinetic energy. The particles of liquid have the kinetic
energy that is intermediate that of the solids and gases.
Density:
Density is defined as the mass per unit volume. Density refers to the amount of matter that is
present per unit volume. Solids are known to have highest density and gases lowest density.
Liquids have a density that is intermediate that of the solids and liquids.

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Fill in the blanks:

Question: - (a) Evaporation of a liquid at room temperature leads to a __________ effect.

Answer - Cooling

Question: - (b) At room temperature the forces of attraction between the particles of solid
substances are __________ than those which exist in the gaseous state.

Answer - stronger

Question: - (c) The arrangement of particles is less ordered in the _________ state. However,
there is no order in the _______ state.

Answer - (a) liquid (b) gaseous

(d) _____________ is the change of gaseous state directly to solid state without going through
the _____________ state.

Answer - (a) sublimation (b) liquid

(e) The phenomenon of change of a liquid into the gaseous state at any temperature below its
boiling point is called ___________.

Answer – evaporation

Question: -14 - Match the physical quantities given in column A to their S I units given in
column B :

Answer

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Liquid

Matters which have fixed volume but indefinite shape are called liquids. For example - milk,
water, petrol, kerosene, alcohol, oil, etc.

Since liquid can flow, it is also called fluid.

Properties of liquid –

• Liquid has definite volume.

• Liquid has no definite shape.

• Liquid gets the shape of container in which it is kept.

• Liquid cannot be compressed much.

• Liquid has less density compare to solid.

• Liquid is lighter than solid.

• Liquid flows and hence is called fluid.

Gas

–
Matters which have indefinite shape and volume are called solids. For example - air, oxygen,
hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon-dioxide, etc.

Properties of gas –

• Gas has indefinite shape

• Gas has no fixed volume.

• Gas gets the shape and volume of container.

• Gas fills the container completely.

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• Gas has very low density.

• Because of low density gas are light.

• Gas can flow easily and hence are called fluid.

Cause of different physical states of matters

The physical states of matter depend upon three main factors:-

• The force of attraction between particles.

• The space between the particles.

• The kinetic energy of particles.

Solid:-

• The force of attraction between the particles of solids is very strong.

• There are minimum spaces between the particles of solids.

• The particles of solids have minimum kinetic energy.

Because of great force of attraction particles of solids are closely packed together. This makes
the space between particles of solids almost negligible. The lowest kinetic energy of particles
does not able to move the particles of solids.

Hence, the great force of attraction and least space between particles of solids and lowest kinetic
energy of particles keep the particles at fixed places. Because of the combination of these
characters matter exists in solid state.

Liquid:-

• The force of attraction between particles of solid is strong but less strong than solids.

• The space between particles is more than that of solid but not too more.

• The kinetic energy of particles is greater than solid.

Strong force of attraction keeps the particles of liquids packed together. But the force of
attraction between particles of solids is less strong than that of solid. Because of this particles of

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liquids are loosely packed compared to solid. The kinetic energy of particles of liquids is greater
than that of solids.

Because of more space between particles and more kinetic energy than solids the particles of
liquids slide over one another. These characters make a matter to exist in liquid state.

Because of slide of particle over one another liquid can flow.

Gas

• The force of attraction between particles of gas is almost negligible.

• The space between particles of solid is greatest.

• The particles of gases have greatest kinetic energy.

Because of negligible force of attraction the particles of gases are loosely packed consequently
there are lots of spaces between their particles. Because of greatest kinetic energy the particles of
gas move with high speed.

Because of negligible force of attraction between particles and greatest kinetic energy the
particles of gas have always tendency to escape out.

Because of these characters a matter exists in gaseous state.

Thus, these can be concluded that:

• A matter exists in solid state because of greatest force of attraction between its particles which
makes the particles closely packed.

• A matter exists in liquid state because of less force of attraction between its particles than a
solid, which makes the particles closely packed but allow to slide over one another.

• A matter exists in gaseous state because of almost negligible force of attraction between its
particles, which is unable to keep the particles bonded together.

Other states of matter – Plasma and Bose-Einstein Condensate(BEC) - fourth and fifth sate
of matter

Plasma and BEC (Bose-Einstein Condensate) are considered as states of matter other than solid,
liquid and gas. These are known as fourth and fifth states of matter.

Plasma

It is considered as the fourth state of matter. Plasma is similar to the gas. Particles of plasma are
made of free electrons and ions.

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Plasma does not have a definite shape or a definite volume unless enclosed in a container.

Plasma may be defined as an electrically neutral medium of positive and negative particles.

Plasma is one of the most commonly occurring states of matter in universe. Plasma occurs
naturally in the stars. All stars are made of plasma. Because of the presence of plasma stars glow.
Plasma is formed because of nuclear fusion in stars. Our sun glows because of presence of
plasma.

Plasma TV got its name because of presence of plasma in it. Plasma is also found in fluorescent
light or neon sign. Plasma is formed when electricity is passed in a fluorescent tube or neon sign,
which makes them glow.

Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC)

–
It may be considered as fifth state of matter. Satyendra Nath Bose and Albert Einstein were
predicted about this state of matters, that’s why it got its name as Bose-Einstein Condensate
(BEC).

Plasma and BEC are has opposite characters. Plasma is a super hot and super excited atom while
Condensate has super cool and super unexcited atoms.

BEC has been obtained by cooling the vapor of rubidium-87 at super low temperature by Eric
Cornell and Carl Wieman on June 5 1995. After sometimes Wolfgang Ketterle also obtained
BEC from sodium-23 at MIT, USA. Cornell, Wieman and Ketterle got Nobel Prize in Physics
for this achievement in 2001

It is a hot summer day, Priyanshi and Ali are wearing cotton and nylon clothes
respectively. Who do you think would be more comfortable and why?

Sweating is a natural mechanism to keep our body cool. Our body sweats a lot in the hot summer
days. A cotton cloth absorbs sweat easily, while a nylon cloth does not.

Evaporation of sweat absorbed by cotton cloth resulted in cooling effect to our body. The rate of
evaporation also increases with the increase in surface area.

When one wear cotton cloth in hot summer days it absorbs the sweat coming out from our body
easily. The surface area of sweat also increases as it is absorbed by the cotton cloth which
increases the rate of evaporation and one who wears cotton cloth feels more comfortable because
of cooling effect due to evaporation of sweat.

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Hence, Priyanshi who wearing cotton cloth will feel more comfortable, while Ali does not.

You want to wear your favourite shirt to a party, but the problem is that it is still wet after
a wash. What steps would you take to dry it faster?

Wet cloths dried up because of evaporation. The rate of evaporation increases with the increase
in temperature, surface area and wind speed.

Hence, keeping the conditions to increase the rate of evaporation in mind, following steps should
be taken to get the favourite shirt dried up quickly-

(a) We shirt should be spread up on the wire. This will increase the surface area of wet shirt
which will increase the rate of evaporation.

(b) Speedy wind should be supplied to the shirt using a fan which will increase the rate of
evaporation.

(c) If it is a day time, arrange the above combination in the sun, so that increase in temperature
would increase the rate of evaporation.

(d) If it is not a day time, a hot iron can be used also before hanging the shirt on a wire.

Comment on the following statements:

(a) Evaporation produces cooling.

In the process of evaporation, water molecules get some of the required kinetic energy to
overcome the force of attraction between its particles to get escaped from atmospheric
temperature and some of the kinetic energy from its neighbouring molecules. Because of getting
some of the kinetic energy from neighbouring molecules, the temperature of neighbouring
molecules of water decreases which is resulted in cooling effect.

Hence, evaporation produces cooling.

(b) Rate of evaporation of an aqueous solution decreases with increase in humidity.

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Answer:

The moisture present in the atmosphere is called humidity. A dry atmosphere can hold more
water molecules than a humid atmosphere. Hence, the rate of evaporation of aqueous solution
decreases with the increase of humidity and vice versa.

That’s why increase in humidity in the atmosphere decreases the rate of evaporation of an
aqueous solution.

(c) Sponge though compressible is a solid.

Answer:

There are lots of pores found in a sponge which are filled with air. When a sponge is compressed
the air trapped in the pores expelled out, and when it is released, pores again filled with the air
and a sponge comes in its original shape.

Therefore, sponge is compressible because of air trapped in its pores and not because of the
space between its particles as happens in the case of gas.

Hence, sponge is a solid instead of it is compressible.

Why does the temperature of a substance remain constant during its melting point or
boiling point?

When heat is supplied to a solid, say ice, it starts melting. But temperature does not rise even
after continuous supply of heat until all ice melts. The extra heat supplied, is used in melting of
ice, which is called latent heat of fusion.

Similarly, when a liquid, say water, starts boiling the temperature of water does not rise instead
of continuous supply of heat. The extra heat supplied to the boiling water is used in the
vapourisation of water, which is known as latent heat of vapourisation.

That’s why, the temperature of a substance remains constant during its melting or boiling point.

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