When you have finished this page,
try the Solids Quiz.
A solid is a state of matter in
which the substance has a definite size and shape. The molecules that make up
a solid are very close together and do not move about as they do in liquids
and gases.
A solid becomes a liquid when it
is heated to its melting point. A few solids change directly from a solid to
a gas and this process is called sublimation.
Some substances are called semisolids.
They are actually very thick liquids that seem like solids as they move much
less than most liquids.
Some of the properties of solids
are their shape, color, hardness, density (thickness), brittleness (how easily
it can be smashed or broken into pieces), malleability, ductility, elasticity,
tensile strength.
