Phase Changes

The three main phases of matter are solid, liquid, and gas. These states differ in how their molecules are arranged and move. Temperature changes cause matter to transition between these phases, a reversible process called phase change that is fundamental to understanding heat flow and specific heat.

Melting is the process where a solid converts to a liquid when heated, while vaporization (or boiling) occurs when a liquid converts to a gas. Both are phase transitions driven by temperature increase. The reverse processes are freezing and condensation, respectively.

High pressure typically raises both melting and boiling points because it favors denser substance forms. Low pressure lowers these temperatures. For example, water boils at 100°C at 1.00 atm, but at higher pressures the boiling point increases. Water's melting point is an exception to this rule.

Heat of fusion is the energy per unit mass required to change a substance from solid to liquid, or released when changing from liquid to solid. This material constant depends on the number and strength of molecular bonds. It is determined experimentally and varies for different substances.

Latent heat is the energy absorbed or released during phase changes without causing temperature change in the system. It is called hidden because the energy enters or leaves without altering the substance's temperature, making it invisible to simple temperature measurements. Both heat of fusion and heat of vaporization are forms of latent heat.

Sublimation is a phase transition where a solid directly converts to a gas without passing through the liquid phase. Dry ice is a common example of a material that undergoes sublimation. This process is reversible and occurs when certain substances are heated or when pressure conditions favor the gaseous state.

The energy required for phase changes is proportional to the sample's mass because it depends on the total number of molecular bonds. Larger masses contain more molecules, requiring more total energy for phase transitions. Heat of fusion and heat of vaporization are expressed per unit mass to account for this relationship.