Which description best matches a liquid?

• A. Particles packed tightly and vibrate in place.
• B. Particles move more freely past each other but aren't free to move far apart.
• C. Particles are far apart with no definite shape or volume.
• D. Particles are charged at very high temperatures.

Answer: (B)

Particles in a liquid can slide past one another, allowing the substance to flow while keeping a definite volume. This level of mobility is greater than in a solid, where particles are tightly packed and mainly vibrate in place, and less than in a gas, where particles are far apart and move freely to fill the space. The description about particles being charged at very high temperatures points to plasma, not a liquid. So the description that best matches a liquid is the one where particles move more freely past each other but aren't free to move far apart.