Cindy wrote the following phrase to describe the movement of particles in a state of matter.
"Tennis balls are neutral particles, far away from each other and moving at fast speeds."
Which state of matter did Cindy most likely describe?
Gas
Liquid
Plasma
Solid
Cindy most likely described a gas state of matter.
Cindy most likely described the state of matter as a gas.
Cindy most likely described the state of matter as a gas.
To understand why, let's break down the characteristics she mentioned:
1. "Neutral particles" indicate that the particles have no overall positive or negative charge. This is true for all states of matter, so it doesn't help us determine the specific state.
2. "Far away from each other" suggests that the particles have significant distances between them. In a solid or liquid, particles are closely packed together, whereas in a gas, particles are relatively far apart.
3. "Moving at fast speeds" implies that the particles are in constant motion and have high kinetic energy. While particles in a liquid or solid also have motion, it is typically much slower than the rapid movement observed in a gas.
Based on these characteristics, we can conclude that Cindy most likely described the state of matter as a gas, as it fits all the given criteria.