Liquid is a state of matter with a definite volume but no fixed shape. When confined in a container and subject to a force such as gravity, liquids will adapt to the internal shape of the container in the direction of the force. Liquids are nearly incompressible, maintaining their volume even under pressure. The density of a liquid is usually close to that of a solid, and much higher than that of a gas. Liquids are a form of condensed matter alongside solids, and a form of fluid alongside gases. A liquid is composed of atoms or molecules held together by intermolecular bonds of intermediate strength. These forces allow the particles to move around one another while remaining closely packed. In contrast, solids have particles that are tightly bound by strong intermolecular forces, limiting their movement to small vibrations in fixed positions. Gases, on the other hand, consist of widely spaced, freely moving particles with only weak intermolecular forces. As temperature increases, the molecules in a liquid vibrate more intensely, causing the distances between them to increase. At the boiling point, the cohesive forces between the molecules are no longer sufficient to keep them together, and the liquid transitions into a gaseous state. Conversely, as temperature decreases, the distance between molecules shrinks. At the freezing point, the molecules typically arrange into a structured order in a process called crystallization, and the liquid transitions into a solid state. 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 either gaseous (as interstellar clouds) or plasma (as stars).
Examples Only two elements are liquid at standard conditions for temperature and pressure: mercury and bromine. Four more elements have melting points slightly above room temperature: francium, caesium, gallium and rubidium. Pure substances that are liquid under normal conditions include water, ethanol and many other organic solvents. Liquid water is of vital importance in chemistry and biology, and it is necessary for all known forms of life. Inorganic liquids in this category include inorganic nonaqueous solvents and many acids. Mixtures that are liquid at room temperature include alloys such as galinstan (a gallium-indium-tin alloy that melts at −19 °C or −2 °F) and some amalgams (alloys involving mercury). Certain mixtures, such as the sodium-potassium metal alloy NaK, are liquid at room temperature even though the individual elements are solid under the same conditions (see eutectic mixture). Everyday liquid mixtures include aqueous solutions like household bleach, other mixtures of different substances such as mineral oil and gasoline, emulsions like vinaigrette or mayonnaise, suspensions like blood, and colloids like paint and milk. Many gases can be liquefied by cooling, producing liquids such as liquid oxygen, liquid nitrogen, liquid hydrogen and liquid helium. However, not all gases can be liquefied at atmospheric pressure. Carbon dioxide, for example, solidifies directly into dry ice rather than becoming a liquid, and it can only be liquified at pressures above 5.1 atm. Most liquids solidify as the temperature is decreased further. Liquid helium is exceptional in that it does not become solid even at absolute zero (0 K) under standard pressure due to its quantum properties.
Properties
Volume
Quantities of liquids are measured in units of volume. These include the SI unit cubic metre (m3) and its divisions, in particular the cubic decimeter, more commonly called the litre (1 dm3 = 1 L = 0.001 m3), and the cubic centimetre, also called millilitre (1 cm3 = 1 mL = 0.001 L = 10−6 m3). The volume of a quantity of liquid is fixed by its temperature and pressure. Liquids generally expand when heated, and contract when cooled. Water between 0 °C and 4 °C is a notable exception. On the other hand, liquids have little compressibility. Water, for example, will compress by only 46.4 parts per million for every unit increase in atmospheric pressure (bar). At around 4000 bar (400 megapascals or 58,000 psi) of pressure at room temperature water experiences only an 11% decrease in volume. Incompressibility makes liquids suitable for transmitting hydraulic power, because a change in pressure at one point in a liquid is transmitted undiminished to every other part of the liquid and very little energy is lost in the form of compression. However, the negligible compressibility does lead to other phenomena. The banging of pipes, called water hammer, occurs when a valve is suddenly closed, creating a huge pressure-spike at the valve that travels backward through the system at just under the speed of sound. Another phenomenon caused by liquid's incompressibility is cavitation. Because liquids have little elasticity they can literally be pulled apart in areas of high turbulence or dramatic change in direction, such as the trailing edge of a boat propeller or a sharp corner in a pipe. A liquid in an area of low pressure (vacuum) vaporizes and forms bubbles, which then collapse as they enter high pressure areas. This causes liquid to fill the cavities left by the bubbles with tremendous localized force, eroding any adjacent solid surface.
Pressure
In a gravitational field, liquids exert pressure on the sides of a container as well as on anything within the liquid itself. Liquid pressure is transmitted in all directions and increases with depth. If a liquid is at rest in a uniform gravitational field, the pressure p {\displaystyle p} at depth z {\displaystyle z} is given by
p = p 0 + ρ g z {\displaystyle p=p_{0}+\rho gz\,}
where:
p 0 {\displaystyle p_{0}\,} is the pressure at the surface
ρ {\displaystyle \rho \,} is the density of the liquid, assumed uniform with depth
… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.
