Final answer:
The density of a substance is the ratio of its mass to volume, and it varies among solids, liquids, and gases due to the arrangement of atoms and molecules. Solids and liquids have higher densities because particles are closely packed, whereas in gases, particles are far apart, resulting in a lower density.
Step-by-step explanation:
The relationship between the mass, volume, and density of solids, liquids, and gases can be explained with the particle model of matter. Density is defined as mass per unit volume. Solids and liquids have closely packed atoms and molecules, resulting in higher densities.
In contrast, in gases, atoms and molecules are separated by larger amounts of space, thereby having lower densities compared to solids and liquids. An increase in the distance between atoms and molecules in a gas by a factor of 10 leads to an increase in volume by a factor of 1000, causing the density to decrease by a factor of 1000 as well.
Phases of matter such as solids, liquids, and gases exhibit different properties. Solids maintain a definite shape and volume due to the tightly packed arrangement of particles. Liquids have a definite volume but not a definite shape and can flow because particles can move past each other.
Gases do not have a definite shape or volume and will fill the container they are placed in due to the independent and dispersed movement of particles.
Temperature and pressure can also affect the density of matter, particularly in liquids and gases. As the temperature decreases, the density of liquids and solids commonly increases, whereas the density of gases is significantly influenced by both temperature and pressure variations.