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Melting, Boiling and Evaporation

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Diganto Haque
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43 views2 pages

Melting, Boiling and Evaporation

Uploaded by

Diganto Haque
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Melting, boiling and evaporation

Melting is the change of state from a solid to a liquid without a change in temperature. During the
process of melting, all the thermal energy transferred from the heat source to the substance is
used to break up the intermolecular bonds between the solid particles(particles of the solid) and
to do work against the atmosphere as the space between the particles increases. As a result,
during the process of melting, there is no increase in the average kinetic energy of the particles
of the solid and the temperature remains constant.

Solidification is the change in state from liquid to solid without a change in temperature. During
solidification, all the thermal energy that is transferred from the substance to its surroundings
comes from the thermal energy that is released when stronger intermolecular bonds are formed
between the liquid particles(particles of the liquid), and from the chemical potential energy that
is converted to heat energy. As a result during the process of solidification, there is no decrease
in the average kinetic energy of the particles of the substance and thus the temperature remains
constant.

Evaporation is the escape of more energetic particles from the surface of the liquid.
Evaporation occurs because the more energetic liquid particles at the surface of the liquid are
able to overcome the downward attractive forces of the other particles and escape into the
atmosphere.

Evaporation requires heat. This heat is absorbed by the liquid from the surroundings and the
surface(s) it is in contact with. As a result the surface(s) and surroundings are cooled. During
evaporation, the liquid particles with high kinetic energy escape from the surface of the liquid.
Thus as evaporation continues the average kinetic energy of the liquid particles decreases
meaning the temperature of the liquid decreases. Considering liquid was in thermal equilibrium
with its surroundings, due to evaporation, the liquid becomes cooler than the surroundings and
as a result heat is transferred from the surroundings to liquid, thus cooling the surroundings.

The rate of evaporation decreases with increasing humidity and vice versa. As evaporation
occurs, the air around the liquid surface becomes humid. If the air is stagnant the humidity of the
air continues to increase as evaporation continues and the rate of evaporation decreases.
However if the air is moving, the air around the surface of the liquid is constantly being replaced
by air of low humidity and as a result the rate of evaporation is increased. The faster the
movement of the air, the more the rate of evaporation increases.

Relative order of magnitudes of expansion from least to most


Solid
Liquid
Gas/Vapour

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