THE 5 STATES OF AGGREGATION OF MATTER - CHEMISTRY - 2025

The states of aggregation of matter are linked to the fact that it can exist in different states, depending on the density exhibited by the molecules that compose it. The science of physics is one that is responsible for studying the nature and properties of matter and energy in the universe.

The concept of matter is defined as everything that makes up the universe (atoms, molecules and ions), which forms all existing physical structures. Traditional scientific investigations considered the aggregation states of matter complete as those represented in the three known ones: solid, liquid or gaseous.

However, there are two more phases that have been determined more recently, allowing them to be classified as such and added to the three original states (the so-called plasma, and the Bose-Einstein condensate).

These represent forms of matter rarer than traditional ones, but which under the right conditions show intrinsic properties and unique enough to be classified as states of aggregation.

States of matter aggregation

Solid

Metals are solid

When it comes to matter in a solid state, it can be defined as one in which the molecules that compose it are united in a compact way, allowing very little space between them and providing a rigid character to its structure.

Thus, materials in this state of aggregation do not flow freely (like liquids) or expand volumetrically (like gases) and, for the purposes of various applications, are considered incompressible substances.

In addition, they can have crystalline structures, which are organized in an orderly and regular way or in a disorderly and irregular way, such as amorphous structures.

In this sense, the solids are not necessarily homogeneous in their structure, being able to find those that are chemically heterogeneous. They have the ability to go directly to the liquid state in a fusion process, as well as to go to the gaseous state by sublimation.

Types of solids

Solid materials are divided into a number of classifications:

Metals: are those strong and dense solids that are also usually excellent conductors of electricity (due to their free electrons) and heat (due to their thermal conductivity). They make up much of the periodic table of elements, and can be joined with another metal or nonmetal to form alloys. Depending on the metal in question, they can be found naturally or produced artificially.

Minerals

They are those solids formed naturally through geological processes that occur at high pressure.

Minerals are cataloged in such a way by their crystalline structure with uniform properties, and they vary enormously in type depending on the material that is being discussed and its origins. This type of solid is very commonly found all over planet Earth.

Ceramics

They are solids that are created from inorganic and non-metallic substances, typically by the application of heat, and that have crystalline or semi-crystalline structures.

The specialty of this type of material is that it can dissipate high temperatures, impacts and force, making it an excellent component for advanced technologies in the aeronautical, electronic and even military fields.

Organic solids

They are those solids that are mainly composed of the elements carbon and hydrogen, and may also have nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur or halogen molecules in their structure.

These substances vary enormously, with materials ranging from natural and artificial polymers to paraffin wax originating from hydrocarbons.

Composite materials

They are those relatively modern materials that have been developed by joining two or more solids, creating a new substance with characteristics of each of its components, thus taking advantage of their properties for a material superior to the originals. Examples of these include reinforced concrete and composite wood.

Semiconductors

They are named for their resistivity and electrical conductivity, which places them between metallic conductors and non-metallic inductors. They are frequently used in the field of modern electronics and to accumulate solar energy.

Nanomaterials

They are solids of microscopic dimensions, which means that they have different properties than their larger version. They find applications in specialized fields of science and technology, such as in the field of energy storage.

Biomaterials

They are natural and biological materials with complex and unique characteristics, different from all other solids due to their origin given through millions of years of evolution. They are made up of different organic elements, and can be formed and reformed according to the intrinsic characteristics they possess.

Liquid

Liquid is called a matter that is in an almost incompressible state, which occupies the volume of the container in which it is located.

Unlike solids, liquids flow freely on the surface where they are, but they do not expand volumetrically like gases; for this reason, they maintain a practically constant density. They also have the ability to wet or moisten the surfaces they touch due to surface tension.

Liquids are governed by a property known as viscosity, which measures their resistance to deformation by shear or movement.

Based on their behavior with respect to viscosity and deformation, liquids can be classified into Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids, although this will not be discussed in detail in this article.

It is important to note that there are only two elements that are found in this state of aggregation under normal conditions: bromine and mercury, and cesium, gallium, francium and rubidium can also easily reach a liquid state under adequate conditions.

They can be turned into a solid state by a solidification process, as well as transformed into gases by boiling.

Types of liquids

According to their structure, liquids are divided into five types:

Solvents

Representing all those common and uncommon liquids with only one type of molecules in their structure, solvents are those substances that serve to dissolve solid substances and other liquids inside, to form new types of liquid.

Solutions

They are those liquids in the form of a homogeneous mixture, which have been formed by the union of a solute and a solvent, the solute being able to be a solid or another liquid.

Emulsions

They are represented as those liquids that have been formed by mixing two typically immiscible liquids. They are observed as a liquid suspended within another in the form of globules, and can be found in the form W / O (water in oil) or O / W (oil in water), depending on their structure.

Suspensions

Suspensions are those liquids in which there are solid particles suspended in a solvent. They can be formed in nature, but are most commonly seen in the pharmaceutical field.

Aerosol sprays

They are formed when a gas is passed through a liquid and the first is dispersed in the second. These substances are liquid in nature with gaseous molecules, and can separate with increases in temperature.

Gas

A gas is considered to be that state of compressible matter, in which the molecules are considerably separated and dispersed, and where they expand to occupy the volume of the container where they are contained.

Also, there are several elements that are naturally gaseous and can bind with other substances to form gaseous mixtures.

Gases can be converted directly to liquids by the process of condensation, and to solids by the rare process of deposition. Additionally, they can be heated to very high temperatures or passed through a strong electromagnetic field to ionize them, turning them into plasma.

In view of their complicated nature and instability depending on environmental conditions, the properties of gases can vary according to the pressure and temperature in which they are found, so sometimes you work with gases on the assumption that they are "ideal."

Types of gases

There are three types of gases according to their structure and origin, which are described below:

Elemental naturals

They are defined as all those elements that are found in a gaseous state in nature and under normal conditions, being observed on planet Earth as well as on other planets.

In this case, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen and noble gases, in addition to chlorine and fluorine, can be named as examples.

Natural compounds

They are gases that are formed in nature by biological processes and are made of two or more elements. They are usually made up of hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen, although in very rare cases they can also be formed with noble gases.

Artificial

They are those gases created by man from natural compounds, made to meet the needs that man has. Certain artificial gases such as chlorofluorocarbons, anesthesia agents and sterilants may be more toxic or polluting than previously thought, so there are regulations to limit their massive use.

Plasma

This state of aggregation of matter was described for the first time in the 1920s and is characterized by its non-existence on the earth's surface.

It appears only when a neutral gas is subjected to a fairly strong electromagnetic field, forming a class of ionized gas that is highly conductive to electricity, and that is also sufficiently different from the other existing aggregation states to merit its own classification as a state..

Matter in this state can be deionized to become a gas again, but it is a complex process that requires extreme conditions.

It is hypothesized that plasma represents the most abundant state of matter in the universe; These arguments are based on the existence of the so-called “dark matter”, proposed by quantum physicists to explain gravitational phenomena in space.

Types of plasma

There are three types of plasma, which are classified only by their origin; This happens even within the same classification, since plasmas are very different from each other and knowing one is not enough to know all of them.

Artificial

It is that man-made plasma, such as those found inside screens, fluorescent lamps and neon signs, and in rocket propellants.

Land

It is the plasma that is formed in some way or another by the Earth, making it clear that it occurs mainly in the atmosphere or other similar environments and that it does not occur on the surface. It includes lightning, the polar wind, the ionosphere, and the magnetosphere.

Space

It is that plasma that is observed in space, forming structures of different sizes, varying from a few meters to enormous extensions of light years.

This plasma is observed in stars (including our Sun), in the solar wind, the interstellar and intergalactic medium, in addition to interstellar nebulae.

Bose-Einstein condensate

The Bose-Einstein condensate is a relatively recent concept. It has its origin in 1924, when physicists Albert Einstein and Satyendra Nath Bose predicted its existence in a general way.

This state of matter is described as a dilute gas of bosons - elementary or composite particles that are associated with being energy carriers - which have been cooled to temperatures very close to absolute zero (-273.15 K).

Under these conditions, the component bosons of the condensate pass to their minimum quantum state, causing them to present properties of unique and particular microscopic phenomena that separate them from normal gases.

The molecules of a BE condensate show characteristics of superconductivity; that is, there is an absence of electrical resistance. They can also show superfluidity characteristics, which makes the substance have zero viscosity, so it can flow without any loss of kinetic energy due to friction.

Due to the instability and short existence of matter in this state, the possible uses for these types of compounds are still being studied.

This is why, in addition to being used in studies that tried to slow down the speed of light, not many applications have been achieved for this type of substance. However, there are indications that it may help humanity in a large number of future roles.

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