Key Components of a Phase Diagram:

1. Axes:
o X-axis: Typically represents temperature.
o Y-axis: Represents pressure.
2. Regions:
o The diagram is divided into three main regions corresponding to the three states of matter:
 Solid region: Typically found at low temperatures and high pressures.
 Liquid region: Located at intermediate pressures and temperatures.
 Gas region: Found at high temperatures and low pressures.
3. Phase Boundaries:
o Lines on the diagram separate the regions where different phases exist. These lines show the conditions
(temperature and pressure) at which two phases coexist in equilibrium.
 Solid-Liquid Line: Indicates the melting/freezing points at various pressures.
 Liquid-Gas Line: Shows the boiling/condensation points at different pressures.
 Solid-Gas Line: Represents the sublimation/deposition points.
4. Critical Point:
o The critical point is the temperature and pressure above which a substance cannot exist as a liquid,
regardless of how much pressure is applied. Beyond this point, the substance exists as a supercritical
fluid—a state that has properties of both liquids and gases.
5. Triple Point:
o The triple point is the unique combination of pressure and temperature where all three phases (solid,
liquid, and gas) coexist in equilibrium.
o Example: For water, the triple point is at 0.01°C and 611.657 pascals, where ice, liquid water, and water
vapor coexist.
Phase Transitions on a Phase Diagram:
 Melting/Freezing: The transition between solid and liquid occurs along the solid-liquid boundary.
o At pressures lower than the triple point, the substance can sublimate (solid to gas) without passing
through the liquid phase.
 Vaporization/Condensation: The transition between liquid and gas takes place along the liquid-gas boundary.
o Beyond the critical point, the liquid and gas phases merge into a supercritical fluid.
 Sublimation/Deposition: The transition between solid and gas happens along the solid-gas boundary.
o Sublimation (solid to gas) and deposition (gas to solid) occur without passing through the liquid phase.
Example: Phase Diagram of Water
 Solid-Liquid Line:
o The slope of the solid-liquid line in water's phase diagram is negative, meaning as pressure increases, the
melting point decreases. This is unusual and is a result of ice being less dense than liquid water.
 Triple Point:
o Water's triple point is at 0.01°C and 611.657 pascals.
o At this specific point, solid ice, liquid water, and water vapor coexist.
 Critical Point:
o The critical point of water occurs at 374°C and 22.064 MPa (megapascals).
o Beyond this temperature and pressure, water cannot exist as a liquid and forms a supercritical fluid.
Important Concepts in a Phase Diagram:
1. Supercritical Fluid:
o A supercritical fluid occurs above the critical point, where the substance shows properties of both gases
and liquids. It can diffuse through solids like a gas and dissolve materials like a liquid.
2. Effect of Pressure on Phase Transitions:
o At low pressures, substances tend to sublime (solid to gas) rather than melt.
o High pressures raise the boiling and melting points because more energy is needed to overcome the
stronger intermolecular forces.
3. Phases in Space:
o The triple point is a critical feature of a phase diagram, but not all substances have triple points that
allow all three phases to coexist under typical atmospheric conditions.
o Some substances never reach a liquid phase under normal pressure, directly sublimating instead (e.g.,
carbon dioxide at 1 atm goes directly from solid to gas, known as dry ice).
General Shape of a Phase Diagram:
 Solid region: On the left side, at low temperatures and high pressures.
 Liquid region: In the middle, between the solid and gas regions.
 Gas region: On the right side, at high temperatures and low pressures.
 Phase boundaries: Separate the solid, liquid, and gas regions, showing where two phases can coexist.
How to Read a Phase Diagram:
1. Locate the substance’s current temperature and pressure.
o Find the point on the graph that corresponds to the current conditions (temperature and pressure).
o The region in which this point lies tells you the phase of the substance (solid, liquid, or gas).
2. Follow phase transitions:
o Moving horizontally or vertically across a phase boundary shows a phase transition (e.g., moving from
solid to liquid or liquid to gas).
Summary:
 A phase diagram is a powerful tool for visualizing the conditions under which a substance exists in different
states.
 It shows how temperature and pressure influence phase transitions and provides key points like the triple point
(where all phases coexist) and the critical point (beyond which a supercritical fluid forms).