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How many states of matter have been identified till now? Which are they?


States of Matter
There are five main states of matter. Solids, liquids, gases, plasmas, and Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC) are all different states of matter.  

The fourth state of matter is plasma. Plasma is an ionized gas, a gas into which sufficient energy is provided to free electrons from atoms or molecules and to allow both species, ions and electrons, to coexist. In effect a plasma is a cloud of protons, neutrons and electrons where all the electrons have come loose from their respective molecules and atoms, giving the plasma the ability to act as a whole rather than as a bunch of atoms. Plasmas are the most common state of matter in the universe comprising more than 99% of our visible universe and most of that not visible. Plasma occurs naturally and makes up the stuff of our sun, the core of stars and occurs in quasars, x-ray beam emitting pulsars, and supernovas. 

The collapse of the atoms into a single quantum state is known as Bose condensation or Bose-Einstein condensation is now considered a 5th state of matter.
Recently, scientists have discovered the Bose-Einstein condensate, which can be thought of as the opposite of a plasma. It occurs at ultra-low temperature, close to the point that the atoms are not moving at all. A Bose-Einstein condensate is a gaseous superfluid phase formed by atoms cooled to temperatures very near to absolute zero. 



Some Characteristics of Gases, Liquids and Solids and the Microscopic Explanation for the Behavior
gasliquidsolid
assumes the shape and volume of its container 
particles can move past one another
assumes the shape of the part of the container which it occupies 
particles can move/slide past one another
retains a fixed volume and shape 
rigid - particles locked into place
compressible 
lots of free space between particles
not easily compressible 
little free space between particles
not easily compressible 
little free space between particles
flows easily 
particles can move past one another
flows easily 
particles can move/slide past one another
does not flow easily 
rigid - particles cannot move/slide past one another


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