Chemical compounds can exist in three basic phases, gaseous, liquid, or solid. Gases consist of weakly bonded atoms and expand to fill any available space. Solids are characterized by strong atomic bonding and have a rigid shape. Most are crystalline, having a three-dimensional periodic atomic arrangement. Some, such as glass, lack this periodic arrangement and are noncrystalline, or amorphous. Liquids have characteristics that fall in between gases and solids. This cinemicrographic collection shows time-lapse movies of various chemical compounds as they change physical states.

• Glutamic Acid - First isolated in 1865, glutamic acid is an amino acid that functions as an important metabolic intermediate. A salt of glutamic acid, monosodium glutamate (MSG), is sometimes used as a condiment for flavoring foods.