Kinetic particle theory

The kinetic particle theory explains the properties of the different states of matter. The particles
in solids, liquids and gases have different amounts of energy. They are arranged differently
and move in different ways.
The table summarizes the arrangement and movement of the particles in solids, liquids and
gases, and shows simple diagrams for the arrangement of these particles.

Particle arrangement and movement

Solids

Properties Why they are like this

They have a fixed shape and cannot
flow The particles cannot move from place to place
They cannot be compressed or The particles are close together and have no space to
squashed move into

Liquids

Properties Why they are like this

They flow and take the shape of their
container The particles are free to move around each other
They cannot be compressed or The particles are close together and have no space to
 Properties Why they are like this
squashed move into

Gases

Properties Why they are like this

They flow and completely fill their
container The particles can move quickly in all directions
The particles are far apart and have space to move
They can be compressed or squashed into

Thermal expansion of solids, liquids and gases

All three states of matter (solid, liquid and gas) expand when heated. The atoms
themselves do not expand, but the volume they take up does.
When a solid is heated, its atoms vibrate faster about their fixed points. The relative
increase in the size of solids when heated is therefore small. Metal railway tracks have
small gaps so that when the sun heats them, the tracks expand into these gaps and
don’t buckle.
Liquids expand for the same reason, but because the bonds between separate
molecules are usually less tight they expand more than solids. This is the principle
behind liquid-in-glass thermometers. An increase in temperature results in the
expansion of the liquid which means it rises up the glass.
Molecules within gases are further apart and weakly attracted to each other. Heat
causes the molecules to move faster, (heat energy is converted to kinetic energy)
which means that the volume of a gas increases more than the volume of a solid or
liquid.
However, gases that are contained in a fixed volume cannot expand - and so increases
in temperature result in increases in pressure.

State changes
Changes of state are:

• solids melting into liquids

• liquids boiling into gases
• gases condensing into liquids
• liquids freezing or solidifying into solids
 Evaporation is sometimes confused with boiling. They both involve liquids turning to gases, but
evaporation is different because:
• it occurs at any temperature - not just the boiling point
• it only happens at the surface of the liquid - not throughout like boiling
• boiling requires an energy input - whereas evaporation is the release of the molecules with
the highest energy
Evaporation cools liquids as a result of this energy loss. Evaporation is increased by higher
temperatures, a greater surface area or a draft over this surface area.
A substance must absorb heat energy so that it can melt or boil. The temperature of the
substance does not change during melting, boiling or freezing - even though energy is still being
transferred.
Changes of States

(a) Melting
Stage · As a solid is heated, heat energy absorbed by the particles is
1 converted into kinetic energy.
· The particles vibrate more vigorously in their fixed positions.
Stage · When the melting point is reached, heat energy is absorbed by the
2 particles to overcome the forces of attraction holding the particles
together. They begin to break away from their fixed positions.
· During the process, there is no temperature change and a mixture of
solid and liquid is present.
Stage · Once the melting process has ended, the particles will move out of
3 their fixed positions.
· The solid has melted to become a liquid.
(b) Freezing
Stage · As a liquid is cooled, the particles lose their kinetic energy and slow
1 down.
Stage · When the freezing point is reached, heat energy is released as the
2 particles are attracted to each other to form a solid.
· During the process, there is no temperature change and a mixture of
liquid and solid is present.
Stage · Once the freezing process has ended, the particles become attracted
3 to each other in fixed positions.
· The liquid has solidified.
(c) Boiling
Stage · As a liquid is heated, heat energy absorbed by the particles is
1 converted into kinetic energy.
· The particles move faster as the temperature rises.
Stage · When the boiling point is reached, heat energy is absorbed to
2 overcome the attraction forces between liquid particles and to make the
particles move faster.
· During the process, there is no temperature change and a mixture of
liquid and gas is present.
Stage · The particles are now separated with negligible forces of attraction.
3 · The liquid has boiled off to become a gas.
 Diffusion
The kinetic theory of matter is also illustrated by the process of diffusion. Diffusion is
the movement of particles from a high concentration to a low concentration. It can
be seen as a spreading-out of particles resulting in their even distribution. Placing a
drop of food coloring in water provides a visual representation of this process – the
color slowly spreads out through the water. If matter were not made of particles, then
we would simply see a clump of color, since there would be no smaller units that could
move about and mix in with the water.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELWYTD1Hefk Link for Diffusion

Use the kinetic particle theory to explain why solids have higher
densities than gases.

Solids have higher densities than gases as their particles are packed closer together.
The number of particles per unit mass in a solid is higher than in gases. Of the same
mass, solids have a lower volume hence a higher density; while gases have higher
volumes hence a lower density.

Temperature
The higher the temperature, the more particles of matter absorb energy making
them move faster, the higher the rate of diffusion; the lower the temperature, the slower
the rate of diffusion

-mass of particles
Greater mass, the slower it diffuses; Smaller mass, the faster it diffuses

Differences between Boiling and Evaporation

Boiling Evaporation
1) Occurs only at boiling point 1) Occurs at all temperatures
2) Occurs throughout liquid 2) Occurs only at liquid surface
3) Rapid process 3) Slow process
Heating & Cooling curve:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJgBIvuLvgY

Heating Curve:
Cooling Curve:
 Changes in State & Kinetic Theory

• When substances are heated, the particles absorb thermal energy which is
converted into kinetic energy. This is the basis of the kinetic theory of matter
• Heating a solid cause its particles to vibrate more and as the temperature increases,
they vibrate so much that the solid expands until the structure breaks and the solid
melts
• On further heating, the now liquid substance expands more and some particles at
the surface gain sufficient energy to overcome the intermolecular forces
and evaporate
• When the b.p. temperature is reached, all the particles gain enough energy to
escape and the liquids boils
• These changes in state can be shown on a graph which is called a heating curve
• Cooling down a gas has the reverse effect and this would be called a cooling curve
• These curves are used to show how changes in temperature affect changes of state