Table of Contents

Introduction
Physical properties of liquids
Transitions between states of matter
Behaviour of pure liquids
- Phase diagram of a pure substance
- Representative values of phase-diagram parameters
- Behaviour of substances near critical and triple points
- Surface tension
- Molecular structure of liquids
- Speed of sound and electric properties
Solutions and solubilities
- Classes of solutions
  - Electrolytes and nonelectrolytes
  - Weak electrolytes
  - Endothermic and exothermic solutions
- Properties of solutions
  - Composition ratios
    - Molarity
    - Molality
    - Formality
    - Mole fraction and mole percentage
    - Volume fraction
  - Equilibrium properties
    - Fugacity
    - Raoult’s law
    - Partial miscibility
  - Colligative properties
    - Rise in boiling point
    - Decrease in freezing point
    - Osmotic pressure
  - Transport properties in solutions
    - Viscosity
    - Thermal conductivity
    - Diffusivity
- Thermodynamics and intermolecular forces in solutions
  - Energy considerations
  - Effects of molecular structure
  - Molecular structure and charge distribution
    - Polar molecules
    - Nonpolar molecules
  - Effects of chemical interactions
    - Hydrogen bonding: association
    - Hydrogen bonding: solvation
- Theories of solutions
  - Activity coefficients and excess functions
  - Regular and athermal solutions
    - Regular solutions
    - Athermal solutions
  - Associated and solvated solutions
  - Solutions of electrolytes
- Solubilities of solids and gases

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liquid

state of matter

Also known as: liquid state

Written by John M. Prausnitz, Bruce E. Poling, John Shipley RowlinsonSee All

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Article History

Figure 1: Phase diagram of argon.

liquid

Key People:: Percy Williams Bridgman Johannes Diederik van der Waals Isidor Traube

Related Topics:: liquid crystal solution volatility coalescence pure liquid

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liquid, in physics, one of the three principal states of matter, intermediate between gas and crystalline solid. The most obvious physical properties of a liquid are its retention of volume and its conformation to the shape of its container. When a liquid substance is poured into a vessel, it takes the shape of the vessel, and, as long as the substance stays in the liquid state, it will remain inside the vessel. Furthermore, when a liquid is poured from one vessel to another, it retains its volume (as long as there is no vaporization or change in temperature) but not ...(100 of 15723 words)

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