Science
What is The states of matter?
The states of matter are the forms that substances take — most commonly solid, liquid, and gas (plus plasma). They differ in how tightly their particles are packed and how freely they move, and substances shift between them with temperature and pressure.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains the states of matter.
Key things to understand
- 1The main states are solid, liquid, gas, and plasma.
- 2They differ in how particles are arranged and move.
- 3Solids hold shape; liquids flow; gases spread out.
- 4Heating or cooling shifts matter between states.
Frequently asked questions
- What are the states of matter?
- Primarily solid, liquid, and gas, with plasma as a fourth — differing in how their particles are arranged.
- What makes matter change state?
- Changes in temperature and pressure, which alter how much energy the particles have.
- What is plasma?
- A superheated, charged gas — the most common state of matter in the universe, found in stars.