Question

Air has maximum compressibility? Why?

Answer 1

Hint: Air is the mixture of gases. There are three states of matter i.e. solid, liquid and gases. Solid has minimum intermolecular spaces between the particles while gases have maximum.

Complete answer:
Air is the mixture of gases which includes nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, argon, water vapor and so on. There are three states of matter i.e. solid, liquid and gases. As we move from solid to liquid and then to gas, the intermolecular spaces between the particles increases. Thus, solid has minimum intermolecular spaces and gases have maximum intermolecular spaces. As a result, gases have maximum compressibility. The interchangeability of three states of matter takes place either by applying pressure or temperature. When we increase the temperature or decrease the pressure, solid is converted into liquid which can be further converted into gases on further increase in temperature or decrease of pressure.
Therefore, we can say that air has maximum compressibility because it is the mixture of gases.

Additional Information:
Solid has definite shape and volume. Liquid has definite volume but not definite shape. Gases have neither definite shape nor definite volume. The conversion of solid into liquid is called melting and vice-versa is called solidification. Similarly, the conversion of liquid into vapor is called vaporization and vice-versa is called liquefaction. The conversion of solid directly into gases is called sublimation and vice-versa is called deposition.

Note:
 It is important to note that air is the mixture of gases. Gases have large intermolecular spaces between their molecules or atoms and thus have maximum compressibility. That’s why air has maximum compressibility.