Which description matches a liquid?

• A. Definite shape and volume.
• B. No definite shape or volume; high energy.
• C. Definite volume; takes shape of container; can flow.
• D. Ionized state of matter.

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is recognizing how liquids behave differently from solids and gases. A liquid keeps a definite amount of volume, but its shape isn’t fixed—it takes the shape of its container and can flow. That combination—definite volume, shape that adapts to the container, and the ability to flow—is the hallmark of a liquid. In contrast, a solid has both definite shape and volume, and a gas has neither definite shape nor definite volume, spreading to fill its space. Ionized matter refers to plasma, a different state. So the description that matches a liquid is the one that lists definite volume, shape that follows the container, and the ability to flow.