This memory aid covers Memory Aid within States of Matter for GCSE Physics. Revise States of Matter in Particle Model for GCSE Physics with 13 exam-style questions and 30 flashcards. This topic appears less often, but it can still be a useful differentiator on mixed-topic papers. It is section 10 of 13 in this topic. Use it for quick recall, then test yourself straight afterwards so the memory aid becomes usable in an answer.
🧠 Memory Aid
The six state changes — remember "MBSCE-D":
- Melting (solid → liquid, energy IN)
- Boiling/evaporation (liquid → gas, energy IN)
- Sublimation (solid → gas, energy IN)
- Condensation (gas → liquid, energy OUT)
- E... wait — reverse: Freezing (liquid → solid, energy OUT)
- Deposition (gas → solid, energy OUT)
Energy rule: Going UP the states (solid → liquid → gas) = energy IN (breaking bonds). Going DOWN (gas → liquid → solid) = energy OUT (forming bonds).
Temperature during state change: Think of a traffic jam — cars (energy) keep arriving but the queue (temperature) doesn't move until the bottleneck (bond-breaking) clears.
Practice questions for States of Matter
In which state of matter are particles arranged in a regular pattern and only vibrate about fixed positions?
Explain what happens to the particles in a solid when it is heated until it melts. Include what happens to the temperature during melting.