Explain how substances expand on the basis of vibrational motion of atoms.
1. The atoms in a solid vibrate about their mean positions.
2. When heated, they vibrate faster and force each other to move a little farther apart. This results into expansion.
3. The molecules in a liquid or gas move with certain speed.
4. When heated, they move faster and force each other to move a little farther apart. This results in expansion of liquids and gases on heating.
5. The expansion is more in liquids than in solids; gases expand even more.