Milady Esthetics State Board Practice Test

The difference in the three states of matter primarily depends on what factor?

1. Pressure

2. Volume

3. Temperature

4. Color

The correct answer is: Temperature

The difference in the three states of matter—solid, liquid, and gas—primarily depends on temperature due to the energy levels of the molecules within each state. As temperature increases, the kinetic energy of the molecules also increases, causing them to move more freely and transition between states. In solids, the molecules are closely packed together and vibrate in fixed positions, which gives them a definite shape and volume. When the temperature rises, the energy supplied can overcome the forces that hold the molecules tightly together, allowing the solid to melt into a liquid. In the liquid state, the molecules are still close but can slide past one another, leading to a definite volume but no definite shape. As temperature continues to increase, the kinetic energy can be high enough for the molecules in a liquid to escape into the gas phase, where they are much farther apart and move freely, resulting in neither definite shape nor volume. Thus, temperature plays a crucial role in determining the state of matter by influencing the energy and movement of molecules.