What is Liquid: Definition and 1000 Discussions

A liquid is a nearly incompressible fluid that conforms to the shape of its container but retains a (nearly) constant volume independent of pressure. As such, it is one of the four fundamental states of matter (the others being solid, gas, and plasma), and is the only state with a definite volume but no fixed shape. A liquid is made up of tiny vibrating particles of matter, such as atoms, held together by intermolecular bonds. Like a gas, a liquid is able to flow and take the shape of a container. Most liquids resist compression, although others can be compressed. Unlike a gas, a liquid does not disperse to fill every space of a container, and maintains a fairly constant density. A distinctive property of the liquid state is surface tension, leading to wetting phenomena. Water is, by far, the most common liquid on Earth.
The density of a liquid is usually close to that of a solid, and much higher than in a gas. Therefore, liquid and solid are both termed condensed matter. On the other hand, as liquids and gases share the ability to flow, they are both called fluids. Although liquid water is abundant on Earth, this state of matter is actually the least common in the known universe, because liquids require a relatively narrow temperature/pressure range to exist. Most known matter in the universe is in gaseous form (with traces of detectable solid matter) as interstellar clouds or in plasma from within stars.

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  1. G

    Temperature range in a body of liquid

    Hi, I am an avid home brewer and I am looking to refine my methods in the fermenting stage. For about 7 years now I have had a cupboard where the temperature of the air inside the cupboard is controlled by a thermostat. The probe is located near the bottom of the vat. There is about 650mm...
  2. S

    Calculate the buoyant force of a liquid

    Hey guys during my lab i am required to calculate the buoyant force of a liquid so i have to submerge the object in the liquid and take the reading on the balance. after that i have to lower the object to the bottom of the beaker and take the reading again. How are the data going to help in...
  3. B

    Calculating Mass of Liquid in Vat

    Homework Statement A 1.60 m-diameter vat of liquid is 2.30 m deep. The pressure at the bottom of the vat is 1.20 atm. What is the mass of the liquid in the vat in Kg? The attempt at a solution A= pi*r^2 = pi (0.8)^2 = 2.01 m^2 2.01m^2 x 20.260 kPa = 40.7226 40.7226 x 9.8 = 399kg...
  4. V

    Rotating circular pan of liquid

    Homework Statement A circular pan of liquid with density \rho is centered on a horizontal turntable rotating with angular speed \omega. Atmospheric pressure is P_{a}. Find expressions for (a) the pressure at the bottom of the pan and (b) the height of the liquid surface as functions of the...
  5. M

    Is there a type of liquid that is less dense than a type of gas?

    Would the gas form Uranium or any other heavy atom be more dense than the liquid form of hydrogen?
  6. S

    Entropy change of liquid water

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  7. A

    Solve Liquid Tension Problem: Instructions & Resources

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  8. M

    Cheap ml range liquid flow sensor

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  9. S

    Discovering a Non-Conductive Alternative to Water in Convection Currents

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  10. P

    Liquid Mechanics: Wavelength & Variables

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  11. Chewy0087

    Solving the Liquid Density Puzzle

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  12. M

    Design of a piezoelectric liquid pump

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  13. L

    Resultant Force on a Conical Flask Filled with Liquid

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  14. S

    Could Liquid Neon Be a Viable Rocket Fuel?

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  15. J

    What is the state of fire ? is it gas , solid or liquid ?

    What is the state of fire ? is it gas , solid or liquid ??
  16. D

    Impulsive force during collision between solid and liquid

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  17. P

    What is the angle liquid will pour out of a glass?

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  18. S

    Liquid ocean in Uranus and Neptune

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  19. M

    Exploring Magnetic Properties of Liquid State Magnets

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  20. M

    Miniature Liquid Flow Sensor for Mili & High Micro Flows

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  21. V

    Liquid Drop Model of the Nucleus

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  22. Q

    Would it be possible to create a sterling engine out of liquid nitrogen and air?

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  23. P

    Liquid pressure multiple choice

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  24. K

    Wanted: A liquid that hardens like a glue, but is not adhesive.

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  25. B

    Height of liquid in a horizontal cylinder

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  26. T

    Aluminum liquid flow under pressure question

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  27. M

    What are the Best Off-the-Shelf Micro Liquid Delivery Systems?

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  28. C

    Lower Pressure of 9.5L/min Fluid Through 3.17mm Passage

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  29. B

    Liquid Superconductors: Experiments and Possibilities

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  30. 2

    Time constant for Liquid to Gas flashing off.

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  31. T

    Resistance for a sphere in a half sphere containing liquid

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  32. P

    Clouds are water liquid, not vapour, why it don't fall down?

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  33. K

    Exploring Weightless: Immersed in a Liquid with Body Density

    Suppose I prepare a liquid whose density is equal to the average density of my body. Hence when I am completely immersed in it the upthrust provided will be equal to my weight. Will what I experience in such a liquid be similar to what I'll experience in zero gravity?
  34. M

    Plastic Engine Block Cooled with liquid metal

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  35. M

    Magnetic Liquid Screw Propeller

    Is it possible or will it be possible to keep some magnetic liquids in some desired geometry and use as a traditional screw propeller ? Is it patented or visioned before ? Best regards , Mustafa Umut Sarac Istanbul
  36. C

    Medical Are the blood cells just suspended in the liquid we call blood?

    Is blood completely made up of blood cells, like we are completely made of atoms, or are the blood cells just suspended in the liquid we call blood?
  37. J

    Microscopic difference between gas and liquid

    I am familiar with Ising model, and the phase transition behavior the interacting "arrows" attached to lattice points exhibit. Now, I'm curious to know if similar theoretical models exist of more concrete examples. For example, what is the microscopic difference between gas and liquid? Can the...
  38. P

    Variation of liquid density with temperature

    I am looking for information on the density of a liquid at lower temperatures. I have it at 15C as 725 kg/m^3. The fluid is avgas 100LL. I wish to determine it at lower temperatures. I believe that the change in liquid densitiess is rather small for temperature changes, but I can't verify...
  39. M

    Sound Speed in a two phase mixture of gas and liquid

    Homework Statement A two phase mixture of gas and liquid (small air bubbles dispersed in water for example) may be treated as a continuum for the transmission of sound of long wavelengths. The liquid behaves as a heat reservoir, and pressure changes are approximately isothermal. Let rv be...
  40. Y

    What Bonds Break in Benzoic Acid When It Melts?

    Basically I want to know which bondings are broken when going from the solid phase to the liquid phase. I know that benzoic acid makes dimers (though only in gas phase, some say?) and that they have Van der Waals' forces between their rings. I tried to use my knowledge about water: Water have...
  41. J

    Thermodynamics: Vaporizing all Liquid

    Homework Statement I have a problem that I need assistance with: There is a well insulated rigid tank with 3 kg of saturated liquid-vapor mixture of water at 200 kPa. Initially, half of the mass is in the liquid phase. An electric resistor placed in the tank is connected to a 120-V source...
  42. K

    Questin about moving an object through liquid

    Homework Statement Calculate the force required to pull a copper ball of radius 2.50 cm upward through a fluid at the constant speed 9.00 cm/s. Take the drag force to be proportional to the speed, with proportionality constant 0.950 kg/s. Ignore the buoyant force. 1 N Homework Equations...
  43. M

    Chemistry Liquid Chlorine-Inter and Intra Molecular Forces

    This is the question I was given: "Describe the bonding within and between the molecules in liquid chlorine." I suppose the obvious problem is, I have no idea what the answer is. Any help will be appreciated! :D
  44. G

    What is a Spin Liquid: Exploring the Difference from Spin Solids and Spin Glasses

    What is a spin liquid as opposed to a spin solid or a spin glass? I know that a spin liquid is generally defined by geometric frustration in the electronic spins of that material (i.e. pryochlore structure)...but how is this different from a spin solid? Can it be that the lattice of the...
  45. K

    Liquid in a Rotating Cylinder - Pressure

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  46. G

    Venturi effect of liquid through a cone

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  47. marcus

    Dark matter is a quantum liquid? (buzz over McElrath's paper)

    Rightly or wrongly, there's considerable excitement about a paper which a postdoc theorist at CERN, Bob McElrath, recently posted. One physics blogger headlined his comment "Dark matter is a quantum liquid." The headline may itself be a misinterpretation of what McElrath is saying but I couldn't...
  48. A

    Incompressible viscous liquid questions

    Which of the following is true in a streamlined flow of incompressible viscous liquid? A) When a fluid is in streamlined flow then there is transport of energy from one layer to another. B) The speed of flow at all points in space is necessarily same. C) The velocity of the liquid in contact...
  49. F

    If you add salt to liquid nitrogen,would it turn into a superconductor?

    I was wondering also if you put a magnet above it, then lifted the magnet up,would the nitrogen and salt come up too?
  50. M

    Determining Liquid Viscosity with Acoustic Piezo Sensors

    Hey guys, I am researching the viscosity of different liquids. I want to use an acoustic method to determine the acoustic viscosity. In some readings I figured that this can be done by using two Piezo sensors. The two sensors are inserted into water, liquid, etc. Transmit sensor (sensor A)...
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