CHEMISTRY PERIOD 4 MR.

KE-SEAN PETER

MATTER CHANGE
OF STATE
___ What is the state of iron? Is it a solid? Iron is found in a liquid state in the centre of the Earth!
Why is this so?

We always take for granted that iron is a solid and water is a liquid because we assume that they
are at room temperature and pressure.

However, the state of a substance actually depends on its temperature, and to a lesser extent, its
pressure.

You learnt earlier that according to the Particle Theory, particles of matter are in a state of constant
motion because of their kinetic energy. Gas particles have more kinetic energy, so they move much
faster than those of a liquid, while solid particles can only vibrate but cannot move from their fixed
positions because they have lower kinetic energy.

Matter, therefore, can be converted from one state to another with the change in the amount of
energy in the particles. If matter gains heat energy, the particles will move faster and further apart,
thus changing from a more orderly state to a more disorderly state. Conversely, if heat energy is
removed from matter, the particles will slow down and move closer together, thus resulting in a more
orderly state.

Melting

When a solid is heated, its particles gain energy and vibrate more vigorously. At a certain
temperature, the particles gain enough energy and vibrate so fast that they break away from their
fixed positions. You say that the solid has melted into a liquid. Melting is the change of a solid to a
liquid. The temperature at which a solid melts is called its melting point. All pure substances have
fixed melting points.
2
 Freezing When water is placed in a freezer, it will change into ice, Freezing is the change of a
liquid to a solid. The temperature at which a liquid freezes is called its freezing point. For all pure
substances, the freezing point is the same as the melting point, so the terms are sometimes used
interchangeably.

Boiling When a liquid is boiled, it changes into gas. For example, water changes into steam
during boiling. Boiling is the change of a liquid to a gas or vapour. The temperature at which a
liquid boils is called its boiling point. Table 1.1 shows the boiling points of some substances.

Evaporation

If you place a drop of ethanol or perfume on your hand, what happens to the drop of liquid after a
while? Where does the drop of ethanol perfume go?

Liquids can also change into gases at temperatures below the boiling paint. This process is
called evaporation.

The table below shows some of the important differences between evaporation and boiling.

Evaporation occurs at any temperature below Evaporation only takes place at the surface of a
the boiling point of a liquid liquid.
Boiling only occurs at the boiling point of a Boiling occurs in the liquid
liquid

Evaporation takes place slowly. Boiling occurs rapidly.

Evaporation produces a cooling effect
because heat energy is absorbed from the
surroundings
The temperature remains constant during
boiling.
Evaporation is the change of a liquid to a gas without boiling.

Condensation

Have you seen water droplets condensing on the windows of an air-conditioned bus or on a can of
cold drink taken out from a fridge? Where de the water droplets come from? This phenomenon is
known as condensation, Condensation is the change of a gas to a liquid. When a gas is cooled, the
gas particles lose kinetic energy. They slow down and move closer together. As more energy is
given out, the particles move more slowly. Eventually, the particles are so close together that the
force of attraction becomes strong enough for the gas to change into a liquid.

Sublimation

Have you ever wondered what happens to the mothballs placed in a cupboard? They keep getting
smaller and eventually disappear! The solid mothballs, which are made of a substance called
naphthalene, have changed directly to the gaseous phase in a process called sublimation.
Sublimation is the change of a solid to a gas without melting.

Another example of a substance that sublimes is solid carbon dioxide, commonly called dry ice.
Solid carbon dioxide or dry ice has a very low melting point (or sublimation point) of -78 °C. When
solid carbon dioxide is warmed, it changes into carbon dioxide gas without melting into a liquid. Dry
ice is colder than ordinary ice and is used for cooling foodstuff such as ice-cream. Other common
substances which sublime are ammonium salts and iodine.