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How do the arrangements of atoms differ in solids, liquids, and gases?

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Bohr model diagram of a hydrogen atom showing a green nucleus labeled H, a single electron orbit, and text with atomic mass 1.008 and electron configuration 1. — atom The Bohr model describes the structure of atoms, in this case hydrogen.

The arrangement and behavior of atoms differ significantly across the three primary states of matter due to variations in atomic motion and structural organization.12

Solids: Atoms in a solid are not mobile; they occupy fixed positions within a durable, often ordered structure. While they are not stationary, they oscillate rapidly about these fixed points. In crystalline solids, these atoms are organized in a precise, periodic lattice pattern, whereas in amorphous solids, they lack such a definite arrangement.13
Liquids: Atoms in a liquid are mobile and continually wander throughout the material, possessing no enduring arrangement. While they remain in close proximity to one another—similar to solids—they lack the rigid structure that allows a solid to resist shear stress or maintain a fixed shape.1
Gases: Atoms (or molecules) in a gas are separated by distances large compared to their size and move in random directions. Unlike the condensed states of solids and liquids, gas particles are largely independent of one another, with interactions occurring primarily through collisions.45