Oct. 15-19

This week, we learned about the motion of particles in solids, liquids, and gases, how energy and heat affect the motion of particles, and the different motions of particles.

First, I learned about the different motions of particles. The three types are: translational motion, rotational motion, and vibrational motion. Translational motion is the motion of particles moving side to side. For example, particles in a solid move side to side. Rotational motion is the motion of particles moving from one point around and back to its initial point. For example, when liquid particles are heated, they move rotationally. Vibrational motion is the motion of particles moving through particles.
For example, heat causes gas particles to move.

This week, I learned about sublimation. Sublimation is the process of matter turning from a solid to a gas, thus skipping the step of turning into a liquid. Mr. Abud demonstrated to us the dry, for instance. It turned from solid dry ice to dry ice with steam coming out. So, my group and drew particle diagrams showing before and after its conversions using the movements of particles. Before, the particles moved left and right. But, after it turned into gas, the movements went in all different directions since gases can spread from one place to another.

I learned, therefore, that particles in solids do move, thus challenging the previous belief that the particles in a solid did not move. Essentially, they move back and forth, left to right. Mr. Abud showed us a cartoon showing particles moving in this fashion as they danced. The connection is that in all solids, particles do move.

Next, I also learned that solids are rigid, meaning that they hold their own form and shape, since the molecules are attracted to each other. Therefore, they have no fluidity, meaning that the particles don't flow and move.

On the other hand, liquids and gases have fluidity. A liquid cannot hold its own shape except when it holds the shape of the container it's in. Otherwise, liquids flow because the motion of particles is faster, and they go in different directions; yet, they are also repulsed and held together. However, as the liquid flows, the distance increases. But, gases move faster than liquids and move greater distances.

The motion of the particles in these three states of matter vary because of how heat affects the motion of these particles. Heat is a form of thermal energy–it is just another form of energy transfered through heating. It is the same thing as energy, except energy is stored. Heat makes the particles move faster, therefore making a substance more less viscous, meaning that the particles become less resistant to move. The more heat the substances, the more energy they are receiving to put the particles in motion. For example, hot fudge that is melted is less viscous than hot fudge that hasn't been melted. The melted hot fudge will flow at a quicker rate since the heat enables the motion of particles to take place at a greater rate and distance. However, the unmelted hot fudge will have a slower motion of particles, meaning that it will move at a lesser distance at this rate. Therefore, if solid, liquid, and gas particles are heated, then the particles move faster with greater energy at greater distances at this rate with greater energy.

Also, what affects the motion of particles is temperature. Temperature is the measurement of the average amount of energy for all particles in a system. This means that the greater the temperature, the greater the amount of heat and energy. Therefore, a greater temperature gives more heat and energy for the particles in any state of matter to move faster. Temperature doesn't directly affect fluidity and viscosity–heat and energy do. But, temperature is like a gateway for heat and energy to affect
these factors.

The connection between these three states of matter (solid, liquid, and gas) is that since the motion of their particles vary, their densities vary also. For example, since a solid is rigid and the particles stay closer together in a lattice work pattern while still in motion, they have the greatest density since the space between the particles is less than that of liquids and gases. Liquids, though, have lesser densities than solids, but densities greater than gases. Since the motion of the particles in a liquid are quicker and the particles move in different directions, the space between them is greater, therefore, the density is lesser. Gases have the least density because the space between their particles is the greatest since the particles can move faster than the particles of a solid and liquid.