Unit 3 Vocabulary Flashcards: States of Matter

Front

The total kinetic and potential energy of all the particles of an object is? (More particles and faster movement = more of this energy)

Back

thermal energy

Front

__________ is a measure of how hot or cold something is, based on how fast its particles are moving.

Back

temperature

Front

The average speed and energy of the particles in a substance; this is what temperature actually measures.

Back

Average Kinetic Energy

Front

The transfer of thermal energy from warmer objects to cooler objects

Back

Heat

Front

Matter with a definite shape and definite volume. The particles are packed tightly and only vibrate in place.

Back

Solid

Front

Matter with a definite volume but no definite shape. The particles slide past one another.

Back

Liquid

Front

Matter with no definite shape and no definite volume. The particles are spread out and move freely.

Back

Gas

Front

A state of matter made of charged particles (like in lightning or stars) where atoms have lost or gained electrons.

Back

Plasma

Front

The smallest building blocks of matter; everything is made of these.

Back

atoms

Front

Melting

Back

A process where a solid changes into a liquid by gaining thermal energy.