Which term describes the physical form of matter?

• A. Solubility
• B. State
• C. Viscosity
• D. Ductility

Answer: (B)

State describes the physical form of matter. It tells you whether a sample is a solid, liquid, or gas, which depends on how tightly packed the particles are and how freely they move, affecting shape and volume. For example, ice has a definite shape and volume (solid), water has a definite volume but takes the shape of its container (liquid), and steam has neither a definite shape nor volume (gas). The other terms describe how matter interacts or behaves in different ways: solubility is about dissolving in a solvent, viscosity is the thickness or resistance to flow, and ductility is the ability to be drawn into a wire. These are important properties, but they describe behavior or interactions rather than the form itself.