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Yes, gases have low densities because the individual gas particles are very spread out and have weak intermolecular forces compared to liquids and solids. This results in gases filling the entire volume of the container they are in.
Let's wander around a bit and see if we can maneuver our way to an answer. Hang on. Here we go. We generally encounter "stuff" in our experience that presents itself in one of the three basic states of matter - solid, liquid or gas. We know about plasma, which is another phase of matter that is "above" gas. A plasma is a superheated material. The sun is a ball of "burning" plasma. There are a couple of other states of matter, too, but we're just going to look at solids, liquids and gases for this one. But first we need to know about thermal energies and changes of state. When stuff is "cold" around us, it can become a solid. We all know about water freezing; it is changing state from a liquid to a solid. When materials change state from a liquid to a solid, they give up thermal energy to cool and then give up more to make the transition from a liquid at a given temperature to a solid at that same given temperature. Yes, that's right. It takes a decrease in the thermal energy of a material to cause it to change phase. And it does not reduce the temperature. Water at 0 degrees Celsius must lose a bit of energy to change into ice at that same temperature. Of course, it is easy to see that there is a wide range in the freezing and boiling points of materials. Lots of metals have high melting points, and even higher boiling points. And gases have low boiling points, and even lower freezing points. Let's look at gases and their thermal energy. We know that the thermal energy of a material, along with the type of material it is, will determine whether it is a solid, liquid or gas. When a material has enough thermal energy, it boils and becomes a gas. Here's the deal. When a group of atoms or molecules has so much thermal energy that it changes state from a liquid to a gas, the atoms are fighting each other, that is, fighting any and all forces that want to keep the atoms or molecules "together" in their liquid phase or state. These atoms or molecules have so much thermal energy that they're trying to "break out" of their liquid situation. The atoms or molecules have so much kinetic energy that they cannot "stay connected" in their liquid form. They want to get the heck away from each other, to put space between them and any other atoms or molecules. They want to boil, to change phase into a gas. That way the gas atoms or molecules can "fly around" under the influence of all this thermal energy. They will be "bouncing off the walls" of the container they are in trying to get out. Certainly if they run into other atoms or molecules, there will be a serious collision, and the particles will fly off in different directions after rebounding. It's chaos. And that's why gases generally have a low density, at least pertty darn low compared to liquids or solids. Gases have a low density because the atoms or molecules of the gas have very high thermal energies. (This doesn't necessarily mean high temperature, but it does mean high thermal energy.) Gas atoms or molecules, with their high thermal energies, have high kinetic energies, too. The atoms and molecules are in violent motion and want no part of each other. They want to put as much distance between themselves and any other atoms or molecules as they can. This results in few atoms or molecules in a whole lot of space - and this transliates into low density. The thermal kinetic energy of gas atoms or molecules is so high that they will occupy as much volume as they can. The gas will have a low density as a consequence.
As gas molecules are very far from each other(having large intermolecular space), they seem to occupy large space but the actual volume the molecules of the gas is very small compared to the volume of space occupied by the gas molecules. In case of solid; molecules are tightly packed so there is no intermolecular space between them and the space occupied by the molecules become equal to the actual volume of the molecules.
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What doesn't stay the same shape but has low density?
A cloud is an example of something that doesn't stay the same shape but has low density. Cloud formations constantly change and morph due to atmospheric conditions, but they are composed of tiny water droplets or ice crystals that give them a low density compared to solid objects.
Do all heavy objects have high densities?
Not necessarily. Density is determined by the mass of an object relative to its volume. While many heavy objects have high densities, it is possible for a heavy object to have a low density if it is spread out over a large volume.
What are the 3 sound mediums?
The three sound mediums are solids, liquids, and gases. Sound waves travel differently through each medium due to variations in their densities and compressibility.
Does air have a very low density?
Yes, air has a low density compared to other substances like solids and liquids. It is primarily composed of nitrogen and oxygen gases, which are lighter than most solid and liquid materials.
Do gases experience a buoyant force?
Yes, gases do experience a buoyant force when they are surrounded by a medium that has a different density. This force causes gases to rise or sink in the medium based on their relative densities.
Do noble gases have low densities?
Yes, noble gases have low densities because they are all gases at room temperature and pressure. These gases have low molecular weights and exist as single atoms rather than molecules, contributing to their low density properties.
Given that a large number of non-metalsare gases what does it tell you about the densities of non-metals in general?
It suggests that non-metals generally have low densities. Gases have lower densities compared to solids and liquids, so the prevalence of non-metals existing as gases indicates that they have lower densities on average.
What state of matter has a very low density?
The gaseous state of matter typically has a very low density, as the particles are far apart and have weak intermolecular forces holding them together. This allows gases to expand to fill their container and have low densities compared to liquids and solids.
How close are the particles in gases?
Particles in gases are very far apart compared to particles in liquids or solids. They move freely and quickly, bouncing off one another and the walls of their container. This is why gases are highly compressible and have low densities.
Which atmospheric layer contains the fewest gases?
The exosphere is the atmospheric layer that contains the fewest gases. It is the outermost layer of Earth's atmosphere and consists of very low densities of hydrogen and helium, along with traces of other gases.
What are the gases found in the thermosphere?
The gases found in the thermosphere include atomic oxygen, molecular nitrogen, helium, and some hydrogen. These gases are present at very low densities due to the high altitude of the thermosphere.
Why are gases not always visible while most liquids and solids are visible?
It's mostly to do with density. In simple terms, gases have very low densities compared to solids and liquids, so that their molecules/atoms cause very little scatting of light as it passes through them.
What does gases low densities show about the distance between gas particles?
A low-density gas would have molecules that are farther apart and fewer in numbers per unit volume.
What are the basic properties of gas?
1) Gases have no definite shape - they change their shapes along with the shape of their container 2) Gases have no definite volume - they can be compressed easily 3) Gases particles are located far apart from each other 4) Gases particles move freely in all directions (Brownian motion) 5) Gases diffuse rapidly 6) Gases have weak intermolecular attraction forces 7) Gases have generally low densities 8) Gases have very low viscosities
What are the gases found in the exosphere?
The exosphere contains low densities of hydrogen, helium, and traces of other gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide. These gases are present at extremely low concentrations due to the high altitude of the exosphere.
Are the noble gases very stable and have low reactivity?
Yes. They are also referred to as the inert gases.
What are three general characteristics if nonmetals?
Nonmetals are generally the opposite of metals. They are very brittle, are not good conductors of heat and electricity, and are dull. Most nonmetals are gases at room temperature, which means they have low boiling points. They have lower densities than nonmetals.
