The three physical states of matter are:

1. Solid
   • Has a fixed shape and volume
   • Particles are closely packed and vibrate in place
2. Liquid
   • Has a fixed volume but takes the shape of its container
   • Particles are close but can move past each other
3. Gas
   • Has neither fixed shape nor fixed volume
   • Particles are far apart and move freely

These states differ mainly in how their particles are arranged and how much they move.