The discussion centers around the question of why solids appear to compress more than liquids under pressure. Participants explore the properties of solids and liquids, including atomic packing and density, while considering idealizations and real-world examples.
Participants do not reach a consensus on the extent to which liquids compress compared to solids. There are competing views regarding the idealization of incompressibility and the real behavior of materials under pressure.
The discussion highlights the limitations of idealizations in understanding material properties, particularly the assumptions about incompressibility and the density of different states of matter.
curious bishal said:Atoms in solid are more closedly packed as compared to liquid and gases. But we exert more force, some solid gets compressed but liquid doesn't, why? If atoms are loosely packed in liquid than solids, liquids should get compressed...
Every solid and every liquid compresses with pressure, except for unobtainium of course. As it takes a good deal of pressure to result in even a very small change in density, treating solids and liquids as incompressible is a good first order approximation.adjacent said:Can you give an example of a solid which gets compressed?
D H said:Every solid and every liquid compresses with pressure, except for unobtainium of course. As it takes a good deal of pressure to result in even a very small change in density, treating solids and liquids as incompressible is a good first order approximation.