Solid (physics)

In physics and other scientific disciplines, a solid is defined as one of the three primary states of matter, with the other two states being liquid and gas. Solids have densely arranged atoms, a rigid structure, and a stable shape and volume. Unlike liquids and gases, a solid retains its own shape. When contained in a vessel, a solid does not take the shape of the vessel, nor does it expand to fill available volume.

The standard physical properties of matter vary with each state. The measurement of mass and other characteristics that can be observed or seen without distorting how the substance looks are the substance’s physical properties. Some of the observable physical properties are mass, color, shape, volume, and density. For example, an apple can be observed and identified as an apple because of its shape, color, and even smell, and an apple’s volume, mass, and density can be measured. All of these things make up the apple’s physical properties. The same can be applied to any other substance in various states of matter. Out of these physical properties, density is defined as an object’s mass per unit volume, and volume is the amount of space an object occupies. Additionally, matter has chemical properties, which are properties that are observed when the identity of a substance changes through a chemical process. For example, burning a piece of paper turns the paper into ash, and after the fire used to change the paper into ash goes out, the substance is no longer paper because the chemical properties have changed the substance.

Background

The structural make up of a solid is due to its atoms being bound tightly to each other. This structure can be referred to in one of two ways. The first is a regular geometric lattice structure, which is made up of a strong, repeatable pattern of crystals known as crystallines. The second structure is referred to as an amorphous solid, which has an irregular pattern, such as that found in a window pane. The categorization of a solid as either crystalline or amorphous depends on the material that makes up the solid and the condition in which the object was formed. For example, a crystalline solid is usually formed through a slow cooling process, and amorphous solids are formed rapidly when a material is frozen.

Physical properties of solids are boiling point, color, density, hardness, heat capacity, melting point, physical form and shape at room temperature, porosity, and volume. A solid does not exhibit fluidity as liquids do, and any slight variety from the original solid state structure is viewed as a deformation.

In the study of solids, many researchers and material scientists look at how the various properties of a solid substance will react or deform under stress. There are three measures of stress reactions: 1) elasticity, which refers to the ability of a substance to revert to its shape and size after being deformed; 2) viscoelasticity, which is when solid materials behave elastically, but are also viscous—exhibit a measurable flow—when deformed; and 3) plasticity, which occurs when solid matter demonstrates signs of elasticity under some amount of stress but at a certain point will not be able to return to its undeformed state.

Overview

Solids and liquids are studied under the branch of physics known as condensed matter physics. Condensed matter researchers employ various methods of study, including crystallography, electromagnetism, metallurgy, and quantum mechanics. Solid-state physics is the branch of condensed matter physics that examines and studies how solid substances result from their atomic properties. Solid-state physics provides the basis for materials science, which is used not only in direct applications of the technological development of transistors and semiconductors but also throughout industry; civil, chemical, and mechanical engineering; and chemistry.

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