Pennsylvania Esthetician State Board Practice Exam

What are gases characterized by?

1. Definite shape and volume

2. Definite weight, but indefinite volume and shape

3. Definite volume, but indefinite shape

4. Indefinite weight and volume

The correct answer is: Definite weight, but indefinite volume and shape

Gases are characterized by their indefinite volume and shape. This means that a gas will expand to fill whatever container it is placed in, taking the shape of that container without having a fixed volume. Unlike solids, which have a definite shape and volume, or liquids, which have a definite volume but take the shape of their container, gases lack both a fixed shape and a fixed volume. The characteristic of having a definite weight points to the fact that gases do have mass and can be weighed, but their ability to fill any space leads to their indefinite volume and shape. This property allows gases to diffuse and spread out within a given space, behaving differently compared to the other states of matter. Understanding these properties is fundamental in the study of chemistry and physics, especially in practical applications like gas behavior in esthetics.