Depending on the temperature and pressure, all matter can exist in three physical states: solid, liquid, gas. The images show these states (and their names) for the common substance water.
Where is the steam?
Most gases are colourless. Water in the gaseous state is also colourless. The "cloud" that ones sees associated with steam is actually liquid water that has condensed when the steam comes into contact with air that is cooler than the steam.
How much volume does the steam ACTUALLY occupy?
The picture above is misleading because the volume that the gaseous water occupies is over one-thousand times the volume occupied by the same mass of liquid water!! The screen is not big enough to fit a flask one-thousand times bigger!
It should be noted that water is one of the few substances that exists in its three states at ordinary temperatures and pressures.
| deposits on cooling sublimes on heating | |||||
 | |||||
| States of water |  | melts on heating   freezes on cooling |  | vaporises on heating condenses on cooling |  |
| State name | solid | liquid | gas | ||
| Common name | ice | water | steam | ||
| Occupies entire volume? | no | no | yes | ||
| Takes shape? | no | yes | yes | ||
Where is the steam?
Most gases are colourless. Water in the gaseous state is also colourless. The "cloud" that ones sees associated with steam is actually liquid water that has condensed when the steam comes into contact with air that is cooler than the steam.
How much volume does the steam ACTUALLY occupy?
The picture above is misleading because the volume that the gaseous water occupies is over one-thousand times the volume occupied by the same mass of liquid water!! The screen is not big enough to fit a flask one-thousand times bigger!