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. wolram

    Unexpected Forms of Liquid Crystals in Ultrashort DNA Found

    http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071122151148.htm ScienceDaily (Nov. 23, 2007) — A team led by the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Milan has discovered some unexpected forms of liquid crystals of ultrashort DNA molecules immersed in water, providing a new...
  2. B

    Clausius mossoti equation in the liquid state

    If one wishes to calculate internal field for a liquid dielectric , what will be the assumptions?can anyone guide me through mathematical steps...
  3. chemisttree

    Who really invented Liquid Paper?

    Bette Nesmith Graham is credited with the invention but she had help. Anyone know who and why she needed the help?
  4. R

    Supercooled Liquid: Potential Problems in Chemical Plants

    What kinds of problems could a supercooled liquid lead to in a chemical plant?
  5. Saladsamurai

    Work done by Gravity on a liquid

    Two identical cylindrical vessels with their bases at the same level each contain the same liquid of density 1.3*10^3 kg/m^3. the area of each base is .0004 m^2. In one vessel the height if the liquid is 1.56m and in the other 0.854. Find the work done by gravity in equalizing the levels...
  6. Saladsamurai

    Cube suspended in liquid - find tension

    a cube with edge length L=.600m and mass 450kg is suspended by a rope in an open tank of liquid of density 1030 kg/m^3. The top of the cube is L/2 deep in the tank. Find the tension in the rope. Vol=.600^3=.216 Area of top side of cube=.6^2=.36 \sum F=0 \Rightarrow...
  7. T

    Forehead Thermometer: How Liquid Crystals Work

    Yoy guys, I am working on an invention recently which is related to liquid crystals. I want to know how liquid crystals in a forehead thermometer works. Or basically, how a forehead thermometer works! Thx guys!
  8. Y

    Molar mass of a Volatile liquid.

    In the Molar mass of a Volatile liquid experiment does the temperature of the vapor equals the temperature of the boiling water bath?
  9. H

    New, and with gas to liquid chemical

    Hello, I was led here when I did a search on "Chloramines". This is what has happened. I moved into an apartment. I was cleaning off my stove with Joy dish soap and a scrubby sponge, and tap water. I kept getting a really strong bleach smell. I found out the maintence used a product...
  10. J

    Predicting when a liquid flow will break into droplets

    The following is also posted in the Chemistry forum. This is a cross-post. If this is not allowed, it's fine with me if this post is deleted by an admin. I would like to know how to predict when a flow of liquid---dichloromethane, actually---freely flowing downward through a small hole...
  11. J

    Predicting when a liquid flow will break into droplets

    I would like to know how to predict when a flow of liquid---dichloromethane, actually---freely flowing downward through a small hole (varying from around .05 to .001 cm) will exit as droplets instead of flowing in a steady stream. I have been bouncing around the Internet for a good while now and...
  12. H

    Designing Liquid Delivery System with Servo Motors

    Hi all. I am designing a liquid delivery system that should handle liquids of volume like twenty ml to a hundred ml. Ordinary pumps would not work here. I am thinking of using a servo motor. But I would need to control the speed as well as displacement of the servo motor, is it possible? What...
  13. A

    Calculating the speed of an ultrasound wave in an unknown liquid

    Homework Statement An ultrasound unit sends a 2.40 MHz sound wave into a 25.0-cm-long tube filled with an unknown liquid. A small microphone right next to the ultrasonic generator detects both the transmitted wave and the sound wave that has reflected off the far end of the tube. The two sound...
  14. EnumaElish

    Can Planets Be Entirely Liquid and Still Viable in Space?

    Is it physically possible to have planets consisting entirely of liquids? I don't mean an ocean world, but a planet with nothing but liquid?
  15. P

    Sound waves in a 1-molecule thick liquid

    Imagine a 1-molecule thick layer of liquid, evenly dispersed across a perfectly flat surface. This surface is (for this thought experiment) impenetrable and sound does not pass through it; it is unable to resonate or vibrate. If we apply sound waves or some other frequency/wave generation to...
  16. J

    Stargazing Liquid Mirror Telescope: How to create a parabolic shape

    I recently read about a proposed liquid mirror telescope to be constructed on the moon. My question is one of mechanics, hence this not being in the astronomy section. My question is regarding the shape of the surface of a rotating liquid. The design will have a dish containing a thin layer...
  17. A

    Energy Distribution of Particles in a Liquid

    If I'm a small particle in a liquid in temperature T, molecules from every direction collide in me f times per second, what is the probability that I'll collide with a particle with energy ε? What is the average energy for collisions? I think I can rephrase it to "how many times per second...
  18. B

    What is Boil off in Liquid Hydrogen?

    Liquid Hydrogen Boil off ? I am a little bit confused as to what boil off is, I can only assume it is the loss of gas but it is still unclear to me as to how a gas can escape from a steel container. Can anyone try to explain this to me better. Thank you very much
  19. V

    Exploring Soluble Bubble Dynamics in a Deep Liquid Pool

    Homework Statement When an insoluble bubble rises in a deep pool of liquid, its volume increases according to the ideal gas law. However, when a soluble bubble rises from deep submersion, there is a competing action of dissolution that tends to reduce size. Under practical conditions, it has...
  20. C

    What Tube Length Is Needed for Helium-4 Flow at 4.2K?

    I've got a very small tube (about .01" outer diameter, I can't recall the inner diameter $D$ at the moment) of length $L$. It's going to run from a helium bath to a near vacuum ($\Delta P$ ). I'm trying to calculate the length of this tube required to get a flow of $\dot{N}$ (in mols or liters...
  21. K

    Liquid Batteries: What are They?

    hi can anyone tell me the concept of liquid batteries.
  22. M

    Calculating Electron-Electron Self Energy in Fermi Liquid Systems

    Ahoy, I'm trying to do a calculation of the electron-electron self energy of a Fermi Liquid, which is supposed to exhibit a dependence on the square of the temperature of the system. I've read through the first six chapters of "Green's Functions for Solid State Physicists" by Doniach and...
  23. A

    Planet made entirely of liquid

    Okay obviously a hypothetical situation, this planet has a radius R, uniform density, and it doesn't rotate. Pressure in a liquid is given by p=\rho g d where d is the depth. So the liquid pressure a distance r from the centre of the planet is. p=\rho g (R-r) (where r<R) But g is also...
  24. R

    Calorimetry homework: mixing steam and liquid water

    Homework Statement What mass of steam at 100 degree celsius must be passed into 5.4 kg of water at 30 degree celsius to raise temperature of water to 80 degree celsius? Homework Equations C(water)=4.2 J/(g C) L(steam)=2268 J/g The Attempt at a Solution Assuming no heat loss...
  25. C

    Rotational Pressure & Paraboloidal Liquid Surface

    A fluid mass is rotating at constant angular velocity, w, about the central vertical axis of a cylindrical container. The variation of pressure in the radial direction is given by: dP/dR= (density)*w^2*R Show that the liquid surface is a paraboloidal form; that is a vertical cross section of...
  26. D

    Pressure of a bubble in Liquid

    Homework Statement Air is trapped above liquid ethyl alcohol in a rigid container. If the air pressure above the liquid is 1.1 atm, determine the pressure inside a bubble 4.0 m below the surface of the liquid. Homework Equations P= P(nought) + (density)(gravity)(height) density of...
  27. A

    Calculating thermal kinetic energy of a liquid.

    I want to know, given a liquid at a particular temperature and pressure, how fast the atoms in it are moving due to thermal motion. I know that you can do this by calculating the thermal kinetic energy of the atoms, and then figure out the speed from there. I also know that for gases the...
  28. S

    How fast does liquid nitrogen expand

    i would like to know how fast and how much liquid nitrogen (-200 degrees Celsius) expands when it is heated with gasses of about 3000 degrees Celsius
  29. W

    What is the relation between the volume of liquid water and temperature?

    It's all in the title. I'm looking for a mathematical relationship.
  30. kvantti

    The universe as a string-net liquid

    The universe as a "string-net liquid" Has anyone heard about http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=mg19325954.200&feedId=online-news_rss20 ? A new theory that "give[s] rise to conventional particles and fractionally charged quasi-particles -- [and] to other elementary particles, such as...
  31. B

    Pressure in Liquids: Why It's Shape-Independent

    hi, why is the presure in liquids not dependant to the shape of its container?
  32. H

    Estimate for the liquid flow-rate into a gas scrubber

    I need a method for estimating the liquid flow rate required by a gas scrubber (I know the amount of gas that needs to be scrubbed and the amount of particulates with it, but I don't know about the nature of the particles, except that they are organic). It doesn't need to be particularly...
  33. S

    Capacitor and resistor in a flowing liquid

    Homework Statement A parallel-plate capacitor with cross-sectional area S and plate separation d is put into a stream of conducting liquid with resistivity \rho. The liquid moves parallel to the plates with a constant velocity v, and the whole system is located in a uniform magnetic field of...
  34. T

    Exploring Heat Transfer: The Leidenfrost Effect and Walking on Hot Coals

    I've always wondered how people are able to walk on hot coal without suffering from burns. Moreover, earlier, a teacher demonstrated to my class how if one spills liquid nitrogen on one's hand in open air that one does not suffer from frostbite, but only feels the cold temperature. I got...
  35. A

    How does one measure the index of refraction of a liquid, and .?

    How does one measure the index of refraction of a liquid, more specifically the angle of refraction? I'm finding it's relationship to temperature. I can't just dip the protractor into the liquid( as a test medium I used water compared to air) and measure the angle that is in the water(either...
  36. C

    Liquid Metal - the most elastic compound ever?

    http://www.spikedhumor.com/articles/80802/Crazy_Liquid_Metal_Material_Shows_Extreme_Elasticity_Features.html This is one of the most interest compounds I've ever seen. Its elasticity is hard to believe even when you see it with your own eyes. The link shows a 90 second video clip of the...
  37. L

    Exploring Liquid Crystal Displays: Answers to Common Questions

    i have a few questions: 1)what is the liquid used? 2)is the glass etched inside to hold the liquid or do they use a thin film of two layers, one conducting? 3)lcds use 180hz square waves to keep the display liquid black, but when just using dc the display will turn black and then fade, why?
  38. P

    Understanding the Pain-Reducing Effects of a Cooling Liquid in Minor Operations

    Homework Statement To deaden pain in minor operations, a liquid that vaporises easily is often sprayed on the affected area. How does this prevent the pain being felt? Would water have the same effect? Homework Equations none The Attempt at a Solution Vaporises easily => absorbs...
  39. P

    Where does the heat come from when a liquid freezes?

    Homework Statement When a liquid freezes, it gives out heat. Where does this heat come from? Homework Equations none The Attempt at a Solution Does this only apply to water or other chemical substances as well. The heat comes from the strong bonding when as a liquid. But now...
  40. R

    Calculating time to eject liquid from cylinder with nozzle

    Say I have a device that looks like a large syringe, filled with some liquid (water). On the "plunger" side I have a flat plate say, that holds the water in the cylinder. On the "nozzle" side, the water is hold in by some cover. I eject the water by striking the flat plate with a weight of...
  41. R

    Can Electric or Magnetic Fields Induce Liquid to Gas Transitions?

    Hi I asked a question recently about changing state from solid to liquid. The answers were very helpful. Now I have a similar question: How about changing state from liquid to gas in the presence of an electric / magnetic field? Is that possible? Thanks Roger
  42. P

    Why mercury is liquid at room temperture?

    Mecury has a boiling point of -39 centigrade but is relatively dense with 80 protons. It has 2 valence electrons like all the other transition metals but why does it have the strange property of being a liquid at room temperture?
  43. R

    Changing state from solid to liquid by application of electric current

    Hi Does there exist a material whose state it is possible to change from a solid to liquid by application of electric current? Obviously a large enough current will melt anything, but what I mean is is there some other mechanism, other than brute force heating that can cause a solid to...
  44. B

    Finding the density of a liquid with buoyancy

    http://spock.physast.uga.edu/prtspool/bearhug_uga_printout_1163471689_22380_10.pdf A rectangular block is gradually pushed faced-down into a liquid. The block has height d; on the bottom and top the face area is A=5.67 cm^2 . Also shown is a graph that shows the apparent weight W_app of the...
  45. D

    Liquid seperation of B-carotene and Chlorophyll-a

    Hi all, I have just done a liquid separation of B-carotene and Chlorophyll-a and put the 2 samples through a UV spectrometer. The result that I get from the meter for B-carotene is 448nm for 1st peak and 475.1nm for 2nd peak. For Chlorophyll-a my peaks are at 417.9nm and 666.1nm. But I...
  46. N

    What is the force exerted on the liquid by the pot?

    I have a few questions on some homework I'm trying to do: 1) A 3.5 kg flowerpot drops from a tall building. The initial speed of the pot is zero, and you may neglect air resistance. After the pot has fallen 33 m, it enters a viscous liquid, which brings it to rest over a distance of 1.5...
  47. C

    Understanding the Science of Compressed Water: A Deep Dive with Bob

    Sirs, I have always understood that water cannot be compressed but I have been informed by competent people that it can. We use water jet cutting at 60KPSI and I am told that this water compresses by 13%. While I can accept this I do not understand why at app. 150K PSI the water freezes and that...
  48. J

    How can I calculate the volume of liquid gas in my cylinder?

    Hi all I would like to know how to calculate the volume of liquid gas (CO2) inside a cylinder of 50L. Its for a medical centrifuge machine and we will have problems with high G's that will move the liquid to the sides... (and could block the valve) Any formulas help? (i don't have...
  49. P

    Finding density of item in a liquid

    I am suppose to find the density of a thick syrup-like liquid (does not disperse). The only information I have is that when a small portion is poured into a cup of unknown volume, it takes 5 seconds for it to reach the bottom. The cup has a height of 12 cm. I am not sure how to approach...
  50. B

    Measuring refractive index of liquid using lens and mirror

    hi i've got to do measure hte refractive index of a liquid with mirror and lens first of all how can i measure hte refractive index of air in this way? i don't get how i can do this, please explain :| and then for the liquid, I've been told to put the liquid over the mirror and then the...
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