For example, copper can exist as solid copper (often mixed with other elements), molten or liquid copper, or, when exposed to extreme heat, gaseous copper.
There is no other state possible; the transition is from one state to the next with no intermediate steps. The transformation occurs mainly under the influence of heat, but influences such as pressure may also play a role.
If we apply this concept to water, then we can conclude that water can only exist as ice (solid), water (liquid), or steam (gas). We were all taught this in elementary school science class. The problem, like so many “truths” in science (and frankly in our culture in general), is that it doesn’t stand up to even a cursory examination.
In this case, we have all seen and probably eaten Jell-O, which is composed of over 90 percent water yet clearly is in none of the above three states. In fact, the state of matter that a substance assumes is not a vague concept; it can be clearly demonstrated with apparatuses that measure the bond angle between the individual molecules.
Ice has a distinct bond angle between each molecule, water has a different bond angle, and in steam the molecules are mostly unattached to the other molecules. The gel that makes up Jell-O has none of these bond angles. Instead it has an intermediate bond angle that is characteristic of the gel state. Dr. Gerald Pollock, in his seminal book The Fourth Phase of Water, describes in detail the formation and characteristics of this fourth phase. That it exists is not in dispute. The issue is that it is not recognized for the importance that it has to the entire field of biology....<<<Read The Full Article Here>>>...