Mechanics of Gases

Abstract

A note on the states of matter: Physical chemists are very concerned with states of matter: gases, liquids, solids, etc.; are there more states there? Yes – think of the chicken soup (suspension) you are warming up on the gas flame (plasma) while checking your watch display (liquid crystal), or think of the peanut butter (emulsion)–jam (gel) sandwich you had this morning. You may think of the shaving cream (foam) or the cologne spray (aerosol) in your bathroom. You may think of what the inner parts of your body are made of or – why limit our horizon to little things only? – what did they say black holes are made of? As a matter of fact most of the world around us – including ourselves – is built of one of these “other” states of matter. Historically, physical chemistry has been developed with the three “pure” states – gas, liquid, solid – in mind and has only recently started making inroads into the intriguing and very complex world of the other states of matter.