Gas vs. Liquid — What's the Difference?

Gases have molecules that are far apart and move freely at high speeds.

A state of matter with a definite volume but no fixed shape, conforming to the shape of its container.

A state of matter with no fixed shape or volume, consisting of particles that have very little attraction to each other.

The surface of a liquid can form a meniscus in a tube due to the forces of cohesion and adhesion.

Gaseous substances can diffuse rapidly into other gases.

Liquids are not easily compressible due to the close proximity of their molecules.

The volume of a gas can be greatly reduced by applying pressure.

Liquid substances can flow and are often used as solvents.

Gases exert pressure on their containers' walls due to the constant motion of their particles.

Liquids have molecules that are closer than in gases but not as close as in solids, allowing them to slide over each other.

Gas is one of the four fundamental states of matter (the others being solid, liquid, and plasma).A pure gas may be made up of individual atoms (e.g. a noble gas like neon), elemental molecules made from one type of atom (e.g.

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 substance or matter in a state in which it will expand freely to fill the whole of a container, having no fixed shape (unlike a solid) and no fixed volume (unlike a liquid)

The state of matter in which a substance exhibits a characteristic readiness to flow and little or no tendency to disperse, and is amorphous but has a fixed volume and is difficult to compress.

Short for gasoline

Matter or a specific body of matter in this state.

An entertaining or amusing person or situation

(Linguistics) A consonant articulated without friction and capable of being prolonged like a vowel, such as English l and r.

Kill or harm by exposure to gas

Of or being a liquid.

Talk excessively about trivial matters

Melted by heating

Fill the tank of (a motor vehicle) with petrol

Condensed by cooling

Very amusing or entertaining

Flowing readily; fluid

The state of matter distinguished from the solid and liquid states by relatively low density and viscosity, relatively great expansion and contraction with changes in pressure and temperature, the ability to diffuse readily, and the spontaneous tendency to become distributed uniformly throughout any container.

Having a flowing quality without harshness or abrupt breaks

A substance in the gaseous state.

(Linguistics) Articulated without friction and capable of being prolonged like a vowel.

Any of various mixtures of flammable gases used for lighting, heating, or cooking.

Clear and shining

Gasoline.

Existing as or readily convertible into cash

The speed control of a gasoline engine. Used with the

A substance that is flowing, and keeping no shape, such as water; a substance of which the molecules, while not tending to separate from one another like those of a gas, readily change their relative position, and which therefore retains no definite shape, except that determined by the containing receptacle; an inelastic fluid.

A gaseous asphyxiant, irritant, or poison.

(phonetics) Any of a class of consonant sounds that includes l and r.

A gaseous anesthetic, such as nitrous oxide.

Flowing freely like water; fluid; not solid and not gaseous; composed of particles that move freely among each other on the slightest pressure.

Flatulence.

Easily sold or disposed of without losing value.

Flatus.

Having sufficient trading activity to make buying or selling easy.

(Slang) Idle or boastful talk.

Flowing or sounding smoothly or without abrupt transitions or harsh tones.

(Slang) Someone or something exceptionally exciting or entertaining

(phonology) Belonging to a class of consonants comprised of the laterals and the rhotics, which in many languages behave similarly.

To treat chemically with gas.

Fluid and transparent.

To overcome, disable, or kill with poisonous fumes.

Flowing freely like water; fluid; not solid.

To give off gas.

Being in such a state that the component molecules move freely among themselves, but have a definite volume changing only slightly with changes of pressure, and do not tend to separate from each other as the particles of gases and vapors do when the volume of the container is increased; neither solid nor gaseous; as, liquid mercury, in distinction from mercury solidified or in a state of vapor.

(Slang) To talk excessively.

Flowing or sounding smoothly or without abrupt transitions or harsh tones.

Matter in an intermediate state between liquid and plasma that can be contained only if it is fully surrounded by a solid (or in a bubble of liquid, or held together by gravitational pull); it can condense into a liquid, or can (rarely) become a solid directly by deposition.

Pronounced without any jar or harshness; smooth; as, l and r are liquid letters.

(uncountable) A flammable gaseous hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon mixture used as a fuel, e.g. for cooking, heating, electricity generation or as a fuel in internal combustion engines in vehicles, especially natural gas.

Fluid and transparent; as, the liquid air.

Poison gas.

Clear; definite in terms or amount.

A chemical element or compound in such a state.

In cash or readily convertible into cash without loss of principle; - said of assets, such as bank accounts, or short-term bonds tradable on a major stock exchange.

(countable) A hob on a gas cooker.

A substance whose parts change their relative position on the slightest pressure, and therefore retain no definite form; any substance in the state of liquidity; a fluid that is not gaseous and has a definite volume independent, of the container in which it is held. Liquids have a fixed volume at any given pressure, but their shape is determined by the container in which it is contained. Liquids, in contrast to gases, cannot expand indefinitely to fill an expanding container, and are only slightly compressible by application of pressure.

(uncountable) Methane or other waste gases trapped in one's belly as a result of the digestive process; flatus.

A letter which has a smooth, flowing sound, or which flows smoothly after a mute; as, l and r, in bla, bra. M and n also are called liquids.

(slang) A humorous or entertaining event or person.

A substance that is liquid at room temperature and pressure

(slang) Frothy or boastful talk; chatter.

The state in which a substance exhibits a characteristic readiness to flow with little or no tendency to disperse and relatively high incompressibility

(baseball) A fastball.

A substance in the fluid state of matter having no fixed shape but a fixed volume

Marijuana, typically of high quality.

A frictionless non-nasal continuant (especially `l' and `r')

, a light derivative of petroleum used as fuel.

Filled or brimming with tears;

Ellipsis of gas pedal

Clear and bright;

An internal virtual currency used in Ethereum to pay for certain operations, such as blockchain transactions.

Changed from a solid to a liquid state;

(transitive) To attack or kill with poison gas.

Smooth and flowing in quality; entirely free of harshness;

To talk in a boastful or vapid way; chatter.

Yielding; lacking any hint of hardness;

To impose upon by talking boastfully.

Smooth and unconstrained in movement;

(intransitive) To emit gas.

In cash or easily convertible to cash;

(transitive) To impregnate with gas.

(transitive) To singe, as in a gas flame, so as to remove loose fibers.

(US) To give a vehicle more fuel in order to accelerate it.

(US) To fill (a vehicle's fuel tank) with fuel.

(slang) comical, zany; fun, amusing.

An aëriform fluid; - a term used at first by chemists as synonymous with air, but since restricted to fluids supposed to be permanently elastic, as oxygen, hydrogen, etc., in distinction from vapors, as steam, which become liquid on a reduction of temperature. In present usage, since all of the supposed permanent gases have been liquified by cold and pressure, the term has resumed nearly its original signification, and is applied to any substance in the elastic or aëriform state.

A complex mixture of gases, of which the most important constituents are marsh gas, olefiant gas, and hydrogen, artificially produced by the destructive distillation of gas coal, or sometimes of peat, wood, oil, resin, etc. It gives a brilliant light when burned, and is the common gas used for illuminating purposes.

Same as gasoline; - a shortened form. Also, the accelerator pedal of a motor vehicle; used in the term " step on the gas".

The accelerator pedal of a motor vehicle; used in the term " step on the gas".

Same as natural gas.

An exceptionally enjoyable event; a good time; as, The concert was a gas.

To singe, as in a gas flame, so as to remove loose fibers; as, to gas thread.

To impregnate with gas; as, to gas lime with chlorine in the manufacture of bleaching powder.

To expose to a poisonous or noxious gas

The state of matter distinguished from the solid and liquid states by: relatively low density and viscosity; relatively great expansion and contraction with changes in pressure and temperature; the ability to diffuse readily; and the spontaneous tendency to become distributed uniformly throughout any container

A fluid in the gaseous state having neither independent shape nor volume and being able to expand indefinitely

A volatile flammable mixture of hydrocarbons (hexane and heptane and octane etc.) derived from petroleum; used mainly as a fuel in internal-combustion engines

A state of excessive gas in the alimentary canal

A pedal that controls the throttle valve;

A fossil fuel in the gaseous state; used for cooking and heating homes

Attack with gas; subject to gas fumes;

Show off

Gases have more space between particles, allowing them to be compressed more easily than liquids, where particles are already close.

Pressure can significantly alter gas volume and is used in various applications, while liquid volumes are much less affected by pressure changes.

Liquids flow because their particles can slide over each other, allowing the substance to move freely while maintaining volume.

Temperature increases lead to faster particle movement in both, but has a more significant effect on gas volume and pressure.

Diffusion in gases is much faster due to higher particle speeds and greater spaces between particles, compared to the slower diffusion in liquids.

Gas particles collide with the container walls, exerting pressure due to their continuous, rapid movement.

Gas is defined by its ability to expand and fill its container, while liquid has a definite volume but adapts to the shape of its container.

Yes, both can change state through processes like evaporation (liquid to gas) and condensation (gas to liquid).

No, liquids have a fixed volume that is not easily changed due to the close proximity of its molecules.

Both expand with temperature increases, but this expansion is much more noticeable and significant in gases.

Air is a common gas, while water is a familiar example of a liquid.

The meniscus shows how liquid molecules interact with their container, indicating the forces of cohesion and adhesion.

Gases can expand to fill the balloon, making it buoyant, while liquids cannot expand and would make the balloon heavy and sag.

Pressure in gases is often measured using manometers or barometers, while liquid pressure can be measured based on depth and density.

Applications like pneumatic systems and gas storage use the compressibility of gases for efficient operation and storage.