Lauren H. answered • 09/15/19
7 years experience teaching High School Chemistry and Honors Chemistry
All matter is composed of many tiny particles in constant motion. In a liquid, the particles are close together but can FLOW past each other due to sufficient kinetic energy. Thus, it is a FLUID. In a gas, the particles are far apart and have much kinetic energy. They are moving quickly.
When the particles of a liquid acquire enough kinetic energy to be far apart from each other, then the liquid has turned to a gas. This is generally accomplished by heating the liquid, but most liquids will generally evaporate over time due to the distribution of particles with a few always having enough ke to leave the surface of the liquid and become a gas.
