Final answer:
The state of matter with the greatest distance between individual particles is a gas, where the particles are far apart and can move freely in all directions, contrasting the closely packed particles in solids and the loosely packed but still closer particles in liquids.
Step-by-step explanation:
The state of matter that has the greatest distance between the individual particles is gas. In a gas state, particles are much farther apart compared to solids and liquids. The intermolecular interactions are negligible because of the large distances, which allow the particles to move freely in all directions. This can be contrasted with solids, where the particles are in a fixed position with respect to each other, and liquids, where particles are closer than in gases but still able to move around and flow.
In summary, the key differences between the states of matter in terms of the distance between particles are:
- Solids: Particles are tightly packed in an orderly arrangement with only vibrational motion around a fixed point.
- Liquids: Particles are closer together than in gases and can move around freely, but are not as tightly packed as in solids.
- Gases: Particles are far apart, with minimal intermolecular forces, and can move in straight lines until they collide with something.