 Aristotle used this elemental theory to account for many properties of substances. For example he distinguished between liquids and solids by noting the different properties imposed by two characteristic properties of elements, moist and dry. “[M]oist is that which, being readily adaptable in shape, is not determinable by any limit of its own; while dry is that which is readily determinable by its own limit, but not readily adaptable in shape” (DG II.2, 329b30f.). Solid bodies have a shape and volume of their own, liquids only have a volume of their own. He further distinguished liquids from gases, which don’t even have their own volume. He reasoned that while water and air are both fluid because they are moist, cold renders water liquid and hot makes air gas. On the other hand, dry together with cold makes earth solid, but together with hot we get fire.