Which state of matter has a definite volume but takes the shape of its container?

• A. Gas
• B. Solid
• C. Liquid
• D. Plasma

Answer: (C)

Liquids have a definite volume because their particles stay close together, but they’re free to flow past one another, so they take the shape of their container. This means a cup of water keeps the same amount of water inside, yet its form changes to match the cup. In solids, particles are locked in place, giving both a fixed shape and volume. Gases have neither a fixed shape nor a fixed volume, so they spread to fill whatever space they’re in. Plasma behaves like a highly energized gas, with particles that are ionized and influenced by fields, so it doesn’t hold a definite shape or volume either.