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Wrap Up
In this lab, we've seen that the space between particles
is a result of the battle between particles' intrinsic motion and the attractive
and repulsive forces between them.
Particles in a liquid or solid phase are moving slowly enough so that the
attractive forces are able to hold particles next to each other. If the
particles are compressed any more, however, (like David squeezing the plunger
of the water-filled syringe), the shorter distances between them cause
the repulsive forces to take over. When this happens, there is no change
in volume on a macroscopic scale.
Particles in a gas phase are moving too
rapidly for the attractive forces to hold them together. An outside force
(like Joana pushing on the plunger
of the air-filled syringe) will squeeze them closer together, but when
they get close enough the repulsive forces take over and the gas becomes
harder to compress.
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