Three States of Water: Ice, Water, and Steam

The three states of water - ice, water, and steam - can be arranged in decreasing order of interparticle forces as steam, water, and ice. This means that steam has the weakest interparticle forces, water has intermediate interparticle forces, and ice has the strongest interparticle forces.

Interparticle Forces Explained:
Interparticle forces are the attractive forces between particles (atoms, molecules, or ions) in a substance. These forces determine the physical properties of substances and play a crucial role in the state of matter.

1. Steam:
- Steam is the gaseous state of water, formed by heating water above its boiling point.
- In the gaseous state, water molecules are highly energetic and have significant kinetic energy.
- The interparticle forces in steam are the weakest among the three states of water.
- The water molecules in steam are far apart from each other and move freely in all directions.
- The weak interparticle forces in steam allow the water molecules to move independently and occupy a large volume, resulting in low density.

2. Water:
- Water is the liquid state of water, existing at temperatures between its freezing and boiling points.
- In the liquid state, water molecules have less kinetic energy compared to steam but more than ice.
- The interparticle forces in water are stronger than in steam but weaker than in ice.
- The water molecules in liquid water are closer together compared to steam, allowing for some degree of attraction between them.
- The interparticle forces in water allow it to maintain a definite volume but not a definite shape, as water takes the shape of its container.

3. Ice:
- Ice is the solid state of water, formed by cooling water below its freezing point.
- In the solid state, water molecules have the least kinetic energy among the three states.
- The interparticle forces in ice are the strongest among the three states of water.
- The water molecules in ice are tightly packed in a regular arrangement, forming a crystal lattice structure.
- The strong interparticle forces in ice result in a fixed shape and volume, as the water molecules are held in a rigid structure.

In summary, the three states of water - steam, water, and ice - can be arranged in the decreasing order of interparticle forces as steam, water, and ice. Steam has the weakest interparticle forces due to the high kinetic energy of the water molecules. Water has intermediate interparticle forces, allowing it to maintain a definite volume but not a definite shape. Ice has the strongest interparticle forces, resulting in a fixed shape and volume due to the tightly packed crystal lattice structure.