"Solid-state" refers to materials or devices that are in a solid form, as opposed to liquids or gases. In solid-state physics, scientists study the properties and behaviors of solid materials, focusing on their atomic structure and how it affects their characteristics. Common examples include metals, semiconductors, and insulators. In technology, "solid-state" often describes devices that use solid materials to perform functions, such as solid-state drives (SSDs) for data storage. Unlike traditional hard drives, which use spinning disks, SSDs store data on flash memory chips, making them faster and more reliable.