Problem 22 Explain why a liquid converts to... [FREE SOLUTION]

Chapter 10: Problem 22

Explain why a liquid converts to a solid when it is cooled sufficiently

Short Answer

Expert verified

A liquid turns into a solid when cooled because the decrease in temperature decreases the kinetic energy of the particles, causing them to move slower and be unable to slide past each other. The dominant intermolecular forces also arrange the particles into a fixed pattern marking the transformation from liquid to solid.

Step by step solution

Understanding Temperature and Kinetic Energy

Firstly, it's important to know that the temperature of a substance is closely related to the kinetic energy of its particles. When a substance is heated, its temperature rises because heat energy is converted into kinetic energy and the particles start moving faster. Conversely, when a substance is cooled, the kinetic energy of the particles decreases and they move slower.

Describing Molecular Motion

When we cool a liquid, we're decreasing its temperature, and consequently, its particles' kinetic energy. The particles start to move slower and slower. In a solid state, particles vibrate about fixed positions, while in a liquid state, particles slide past each other. As the kinetic energy decreases due to cooling, the particles in the liquid start moving so slowly that they eventually can't slide past each other anymore.

Understanding Intermolecular Forces

The transition from a liquid state to a solid one also involves changes in the intermolecular forces. At lower temperatures (or lower kinetic energy), these forces become dominant and align the particles into a fixed, regular pattern - characteristic of a solid. When a substance is cooled sufficiently, the kinetic energy of the particles is no longer high enough to overcome these forces of attraction between them, and a phase transition from liquid to solid occurs.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

Full Textbook Solutions
Get detailed explanations and key concepts
Unlimited Al creation
Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...
Ads-free access
To over 500 millions flashcards
Money-back guarantee
We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with 91影视!

Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Kinetic Energy

Kinetic energy is a fundamental concept in physics that describes the energy of motion. As particles move, they possess this type of energy, which is directly related to their speed. In the context of phase transition, particularly when a liquid cools into a solid, kinetic energy plays a crucial role.

When a liquid is heated, the particles gain kinetic energy, causing them to move faster. This increased motion overcomes the forces trying to hold the particles close together.
Conversely, cooling a liquid reduces the particles' kinetic energy, slowing them down.

As the particles slow down, they can no longer move freely past one another. This decrease in movement is one of the key factors that facilitates the phase transition from a liquid to a solid. The substance鈥檚 particles start to vibrate rather than translate, setting the stage for solidification.

Intermolecular Forces

Intermolecular forces are the attractive forces between neighboring molecules that control many physical properties, including phase transitions. These forces are crucial in the process where a liquid changes to a solid upon cooling.

In a liquid state, particles have enough kinetic energy to mostly overcome these forces, allowing fluid movement.
As the temperature drops, kinetic energy diminishes, and intermolecular forces start to become more significant.

Eventually, these intermolecular attractions overcome the diminished kinetic energy, causing the particles to arrange into a stable, fixed structure. The result is a solid, where particles are held tightly in place and only vibrate within the constraints of their positions. This increase in orderliness marks the phase transition from liquid to solid.

Solid State

The solid state has distinct characteristics governed by both kinetic energy and intermolecular forces. When a liquid becomes a solid, it enters a state where its molecules are tightly bound together.

In solids, molecules are arranged in a regular, repeating pattern called a crystal lattice.
The particles are in fixed positions, vibrating around a set point, unlike in liquids where they slide past each other.

This organization results from the dominance of intermolecular forces over kinetic energy at lower temperatures. Thus, solids are typically rigid and incompressible, maintaining a definite shape and volume. Understanding this is essential for grasping why cooling a liquid until it's solid is a logical outcome of its particle interactions.

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

91影视

Explain why a liquid converts to a solid when it is cooled sufficiently

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Understanding Temperature and Kinetic Energy

Describing Molecular Motion

Understanding Intermolecular Forces

Key Concepts

Kinetic Energy

Intermolecular Forces

Solid State

One App. One Place for Learning.

Most popular questions from this chapter

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

Chemical Reactions

The Earths Atmosphere

Chemistry Branches

Physical Chemistry

Making Measurements

Chemical Analysis

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.