Core Chemistry 14 - 16 (Changes of state between solids, liquids and gases)
Understanding Changes of State: Solids, Liquids, and Gases This page explores how particles behave during phase transitions—melting, freezing, boiling, condensing, and sublimation—and encourages viewing these changes through the lens of particle behavior, energy, and forces. Changes of State between Solid and Liquid Melting When a solid is heated, its particles gain energy and vibrate more intensely. As the temperature rises, the vibrations eventually overcome the attractive forces holding the particles together in a fixed structure, causing the solid to melt into a liquid. The melting point varies depending on the strength of these forces; for instance, sulfur melts at 113°C while tungsten melts at 3410°C due to its stronger interparticle attractions. Freezing Freezing is the reverse process. As a liquid cools, its particles lose energy, moving more slowly. Eventually, these particles can’t overcome the attractive forces and become locked into a solid structure, thus freezing th...