Final answer:
In a solid, particles are tightly packed in a regular, often crystalline, three-dimensional arrangement, resulting in a definite volume and shape. These particles exhibit vibrational motion around fixed points and are almost completely incompressible. Some solids, like glass, are amorphous with a more random particle distribution.
Step-by-step explanation:
densely packed in an organized manner. This often forms a regular three-dimensional crystal structure, where the particles are arranged in a repeating pattern. This crystalline arrangement is a result of the particles seeking to maximize attractive interactions and minimize total intermolecular energy. The particles in a solid do not move freely but are limited to vibrational motion around fixed points. Solids like glass, however, may be amorphous, meaning they lack this regular arrangement and instead have a more random distribution of particles. Over 90% of solids in nature and those that are man-made exhibit these crystalline structures. The particles within these structures vibrate but do not typically move relative to one another, making solids incompressible and giving them a definite volume and shape. At a macroscopic level, the well-ordered particle arrangement of crystalline solids can sometimes be visible to the eye.