Associate Safety Professional Practice Exam

Which state of matter has a definite volume but no definite shape?

1. Solid

2. Liquid

3. Gas

4. Plasma

The correct answer is: Liquid

The state of matter that has a definite volume but no definite shape is liquid. In a liquid, the molecules are closely packed together, which gives it a fixed volume. However, the molecules are not in a rigid structure as they are in solids; instead, they can move around each other freely. This movement allows liquids to take the shape of the container they are in, meaning they do not have a definite shape of their own. In contrast, solids have both a definite volume and a definite shape due to the tightly bound arrangement of their particles. Gases, on the other hand, have neither a definite volume nor a definite shape, as their particles are far apart and always moving randomly. Plasma, the fourth state of matter, is a highly energized state of gas where the particles are ionized and can conduct electricity, also lacking both definite volume and shape.