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States of Matter & Gas Laws

Liquid State

The state of matter with a definite volume but no fixed shape, in which particles are close together yet free to move past one another.

Unit Dimensionless

In depth

Intermolecular forces are strong enough to keep the particles in contact but too weak to fix their positions, so liquids flow and take the shape of their container. They are nearly incompressible, exhibit surface tension and viscosity, and diffuse far more slowly than gases.

Examples in the real world

Water, mercury, ethanol and molten iron; olive oil flowing slowly because of its high viscosity.