Now let’s explain the three main states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas. A solid has a definite shape and a definite volume. The particles in a solid are very close together and they only vibrate in place. That is why solids are rigid and hard, like rocks, metals, or ice. A liquid has a definite volume but no definite shape. Liquids take the shape of their container, like water in a glass or juice in a bottle. The particles in a liquid are close together but they can slide past each other, which makes liquids flow. A gas has no definite shape and no definite volume. Gases expand to fill all the space available. The particles in a gas are very far apart and move very fast in all directions. Examples are air, oxygen, and carbon dioxide. To summarize: solids are rigid, liquids flow, and gases spread out. These states of matter are part of our everyday life.