Final answer:
The gaseous state is characterized by its ability to expand to fill its container and the fact that the particles are far apart with little attraction between them. Gases do not have a fixed shape and the term 'hottest phase' is not a correct characteristic of gaseous state as temperature varies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Among the statements provided, the ones that describe the gaseous state of matter are:
- It expands to fill its container: In the gaseous state, particles expand and adapt to fill the volume and shape of their container. This is due to the weak intermolecular forces at play, allowing gases to have variable volume and shape.
- Particles are far away from one another, and experience little attraction: Gas particles are widely separated, which results in negligible intermolecular interactions. This separation allows for the high compressibility and expandability of gases.
The statement that 'it has a fixed shape' does not describe gases because they do not maintain a fixed shape - instead, they conform to the shape of their container. Moreover, 'the gas phase is the hottest phase' is not an accurate description of the gaseous state; temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles and is not inherently tied to the gas phase itself, as a substance can be a gas at a wide range of temperatures.