Why do solids, liquids and gases appear so different?

So what you must keep in mind is that the structure of the molecules have an impact on what you see. As a solid, many molecules and atoms form compact structures. One of the reasons they are solid in the first place is that the atoms/molecules are not moving very fast relative to liquid and gas states. read more

The appearance of substances in general depend on multiple factors of which their current state is only one. Take carbon, for instance. If you organize the carbon atoms in a super-compact crystalline structure, you get diamond. read more