An online simulation for studying states of matter

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Have you wondered why some light elements form solids at room temperature whereas some heavy elements form liquids (e.g., mercury) or gases (e.g., radon) at room temperature? Many people tend to associate "heavy" with "solid." But that is not true.

Using an online 3D molecular dynamics simulation--made using the Molecular Workbench software, you can investigate if or how atomic mass, atomic size, interatomic attraction, and temperature affect the formation of a phase. This investigation allows for deeper exploration about what determines a phase.

Java is required to run this simulation in your browser as an applet.