Zaymiey

🧪 Chemistry  ·  States of Matter  ·  NEET & JEE

Which state of matter takes the shape of its container and has no fixed volume?

Answer: Gas.

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

Correct answer: C. Gas

Explanation: Gases have negligible intermolecular forces, so they expand to fill any container and have no fixed shape or volume.

Graph of pressure versus volume for a fixed amount of gas at constant temperature: the curve falls steeply then flattens, a hyperbola showing pressure inversely proportional to volume.

Boyle's law: at constant temperature the pressure of a fixed mass of gas is inversely proportional to its volume (P ∝ 1/V), so the P–V plot is a hyperbola — halving the volume doubles the pressure. Image: Reginaprice2013, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Concept context

Discover why gases expand to fill any container while liquids flow and solids hold their shape. Master the gas laws, the ideal gas equation, and the reasons real gases deviate from ideal behavior.

Read the full States of Matter notes →