A gas is a substance that has no definite shape and no definite volume. When put into a closed container, gases take both the shape and volume of that container. The particles in a gas move so quickly and have so much energy that they can break away completely from each other. If a container expands, the particles of the gas within it can move farther apart and expand the volume of the gas to fit the container. If more pressure is added inside a container, the particles of gas move closer together and contract. This happens when you pump air into a basketball, making it feel harder and harder.
Plasma is a special state of matter that, like gas, does not have a definite shape or volume. Under plasma's unique conditions, energy has caused the particles of the substance to break apart. Some plasma is extremely hot, such as in the flames of a fire. Some forms of plasma can be created by passing an electric charge through a gas. Unlike regular gas, plasma is affected by electric and magnetic fields. The glow of a fluorescent light is created when electric current is pumped through a gas contained in a glass tube.
When you pump a bicycle tire, what is happening to the particles inside the tire?
A
Nothing, because pumping in more air does not affect the particles inside.
B
They are moving closer together and contracting, filling the tire and making it more firm.
C
They are moving farther and farther apart, which is what expands the tire.
D
They are moving faster and faster, making the tire feel more full.
B
They are moving closer together and contracting, filling the tire and making it more firm.