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States of Matter & Gas Laws

Solid State

The state of matter in which particles are held in fixed positions, giving a definite shape and volume.

Unit Dimensionless

In depth

Intermolecular forces dominate thermal motion completely, so particles only vibrate about fixed mean positions. Solids are essentially incompressible and resist deformation. They are classified as crystalline, with long-range order, or amorphous, with only short-range order and no sharp melting point.

Examples in the real world

Ice, diamond, sodium chloride crystals, and amorphous solids such as glass and rubber.