Which of the following is a characteristic of liquids?

Correct option is C

The correct answer is (c) No fixed shape but fixed volume

Explanation:

• Matter exists primarily in three states: solid, liquid, and gas.
• A primary characteristic of a liquid is that it possesses a fixed volume, meaning it cannot be significantly compressed and takes up a specific amount of space.
• However, liquids have no fixed shape. They are fluid and naturally take the shape of the container they are poured into.
• This occurs because the intermolecular forces in liquids are strong enough to keep the particles together but weak enough to allow them to slide past one another.

• Liquids are generally denser than gases but less dense than solids (with exceptions like water, where solid ice is less dense than liquid water).
• Liquids exhibit properties like surface tension and viscosity.
• Because liquids can flow and change shape, they are collectively referred to as fluids alongside gases.

• This is the defining characteristic of a gas, which expands completely to fill the shape and volume of its container.

• This state does not naturally exist in common physical science classifications, as a fixed shape implies a rigid structure, which logically demands a fixed volume.

• This is the defining characteristic of a solid, where particles are tightly packed in a rigid lattice structure.