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A simplistic summary of a very complex process would be:

As heat is added to a solid material matrix, the kinetic energy of its molecules becomes greater than the intermolecular forces that hold those molecules. With this a change in phase occurs.

For example, in a solid crystal, the molecules are held rigidly in position by the intermolecular forces. As the heat of the matrix increases, the molecules become more energetic and the movement around their equilibrium positions becomes faster and larger. Eventually, their enhanced motion permits them to create spaces in the crystal that other molecules can move into - the solid has now become a liquid (a different phase).

As the heat increases even more, the increased kinetic energy of the molecules allows them to completely overcome any intermolecular forces and atmospheric pressure, and the material begins to become a gas and escapes the matrix.

Cooling (removing heat) from a gas to allow condensation and then crystallization is the opposite process.

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What causes a change in state?

A change in state can be caused by either adding or removing energy from a substance. For example, adding heat can cause a solid to melt into a liquid, and removing heat can cause a liquid to freeze into a solid. Pressure changes can also cause a substance to change state, such as turning a gas into a liquid by increasing pressure.


What causes water to change to a different state?

Water changes state depending on its temperature and pressure. When water is heated, it can change from a solid (ice) to a liquid (water) to a gas (steam). When water is cooled, it can go from a gas to a liquid to a solid. These changes in state are due to the energy levels of the water molecules.


What change of state occurs when a substance reaches its melting point?

When a substance reaches its melting point, it changes from a solid to a liquid state. This is known as melting, where the thermal energy added causes the particles to overcome their fixed arrangement and transition into a more fluid state.


What happens to heat during a change of state?

During a change of state, such as melting or boiling, heat energy is absorbed or released without a change in temperature. This heat energy is used to break the intermolecular forces holding the particles together, allowing them to move into a new arrangement. Once the change of state is complete, the temperature resumes changing.


What causes a substance to change its state of matter?

A substance changes its state of matter when the temperature or pressure it is exposed to reaches a critical point for that particular substance. When these conditions are met, the particles within the substance gain or lose energy, causing them to either move further apart (melting, vaporization) or closer together (freezing, condensation).