Which state of matter shows the highest expansion when temperature is increased?

The correct answer is Gases.

Key Points

• Gases exhibit the highest expansion among states of matter when temperature is increased due to their low intermolecular forces and high kinetic energy.
• When heated, the molecules in a gas move faster and spread out, leading to significant volumetric expansion compared to solids or liquids.
• The expansion of gases is governed by the ideal gas law, PV = nRT, where temperature (T) directly affects volume (V) at constant pressure.
• Unlike solids and liquids, gases have no fixed shape or volume, allowing for unrestricted expansion when thermal energy is added.
• The coefficient of thermal expansion for gases is significantly higher than for liquids and solids, making them highly sensitive to temperature changes.

Additional Information

• Thermal Expansion: The phenomenon of matter increasing in volume due to a rise in temperature, caused by increased molecular vibrations.
• Intermolecular Forces: Gases have weak intermolecular forces compared to solids and liquids, enabling greater expansion under heat.
• Ideal Gas Law: A fundamental equation in physics and chemistry where the relationship between pressure, volume, and temperature of gases is expressed as PV = nRT.
• Coefficient of Thermal Expansion: A measure of how much a substance's volume changes per degree of temperature increase; gases have the highest coefficient among states of matter.
• Real Gases vs. Ideal Gases: Real gases deviate from the ideal gas law at very high pressures or low temperatures, though the principle of expansion with heat remains applicable.