What is Melting?
Melting is the process of a solid substance changing into a liquid state when it is heated to its melting point.
Key Concepts
- Melting Point: The temperature at which a substance changes from a solid to a liquid.
- Energy Absorption: During melting, energy is absorbed by the substance as its particles gain kinetic energy, allowing them to break free from their fixed positions.
- Phase Transition: Melting is a phase transition from the solid phase to the liquid phase.
Factors Affecting Melting
Several factors can affect the melting process:
- Temperature: Increasing the temperature of a solid substance can lead to melting if the temperature reaches the substance's melting point.
- Pressure: In some cases, changes in pressure can affect the melting point of a substance. For example, increasing pressure can raise the melting point of ice.
- Impurities: The presence of impurities in a solid substance can affect its melting point, either raising or lowering it depending on the nature of the impurities.
Examples of Melting
Common examples of melting include:
- Ice Melting: When solid ice is heated to its melting point, it turns into liquid water.
- Candle Wax Melting: Solid candle wax melts when it is heated, turning into a liquid that can be molded or burned.
Applications of Melting
Melting has various practical applications in everyday life and industry, including:
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