3:3 Solids and Plasmas
The repeating subunits that are responsible for the shape of a crystal are known as...
unit cells
What happens when the kinetic energy of molecules increases so much that electrons are released by the atoms, creating a swirling gas of positive ions and negative electrons?
Matter changes to a plasma state.
Temperature depends on the average kinetic energy of the particles in a sample. How does this help with explaining why a plasma-based light does not have a high temperature?
Most particles in the plasma are heavy and slow.
How does the motion of particles in the sun's plasma compare to the motion of particles in a solid?
Particles in the plasma move randomly, but particles in a solid vibrate in one place.
Which low-energy state of condensed matter is characterized by structural rigidity and resistance to changes of shape or volume?
Solid
Why is a crystal incompressible?
There is little, if any, space left between its adjacent molecules.
Why are plasmas are good conductors of electricity?
They have mobile charged particles.
What is an example of a plasma that occurs in nature?
the radiant sun
What are thermal plasmas?
They have mobile charged particles.
A group of students are wandering around a room. When their teacher claps, the students sit down wherever they are. This situation best models the formation of which type of solid?
an amorphous solid because the particles do not have a regular structure