Kaplan Nursing Entrance Practice Exam 2026 – The All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

The primary characteristic of gases, in contrast to liquids and solids, is compressibility. Gases have the unique ability to be compressed into smaller volumes under pressure, meaning that their particles are much farther apart compared to those in liquids and solids. This characteristic allows gases to fill the shape of their containers completely, adapting to different volumes and shapes depending on the surrounding environment.

In contrast, solids have a defined shape and volume due to the closely packed arrangement of their particles, which do not move freely. Liquids have a defined volume but take the shape of their container. This lack of defined shape in liquids is due to their particles being less tightly bound than those in solids but still not as far apart as those in gases. The compressibility of gases enables them to occupy varying amounts of space, making this property fundamental to understanding gas behavior and interactions.