Which statement correctly describes the shape and volume of liquids vs solids?

Which statement correctly describes the shape and volume of liquids vs solids?

• A. A liquid has a definite volume and takes the shape of its container.
• B. A solid has a definite shape and volume.
• C. A liquid has no definite shape and no definite volume.
• D. A solid has no definite shape but a definite volume.

Answer: (A)

Liquids keep a definite volume but do not have a fixed shape; they flow and will spread to fill whatever container they’re in. This happens because the particles in a liquid are less tightly bound than in a solid, so they can slide past each other and rearrange themselves, giving the liquid the container’s shape while preserving its volume. Solids, in contrast, have particles packed tightly in place, so they hold both a definite shape and a definite volume. The statement that describes liquids this way—definite volume and shape dictated by the container—is the correct one. The other options mix up these properties: liquids do have a definite volume, and solids do have a definite shape.

Liquids keep a definite volume but do not have a fixed shape; they flow and will spread to fill whatever container they’re in. This happens because the particles in a liquid are less tightly bound than in a solid, so they can slide past each other and rearrange themselves, giving the liquid the container’s shape while preserving its volume. Solids, in contrast, have particles packed tightly in place, so they hold both a definite shape and a definite volume. The statement that describes liquids this way—definite volume and shape dictated by the container—is the correct one. The other options mix up these properties: liquids do have a definite volume, and solids do have a definite shape.