Changing state of matter is turning solid into gas or liquid, and vice versa. Everything we see, touch, or trim is made of matter. States of matter can not be destroyed but can be turned into another with the addition or removal of heat.
Examples of Changing States
Examples of matter changes are melting (changing from solid to liquid), freezing (changing to a solid from a liquid), evaporation (changing from liquid to gas), and condensation (changing from gas to a liquid).
Changing the State of Water’s Matter
The state of water at room temperature is liquid. However, we can change the state of its matter by changing the temperature. For example, cooling water to0ºC turns the water into ice, which is solid. Hence, it is called the freezing point.
Water can also be turned into vapor, or gas, by heating it to 100ºC. It is called the boiling point. Both boiling and freezing points come at different temperatures for different substances.
Examples of Gas to Solid
The changing of gas to solid is called deposition. Here are some examples of deposition.
- Water vapor to ice – fog transforms directly into ice without becoming a liquid. It sometimes happens on windows during winter.
- Physical vapor to film – thin layers of ‘film’ placed onto a surface using the vaporized film form.
Examples of Gas to Liquid
The changing state of gas to liquid is called condensation. Here are some examples of condensation.
- Water vapor to dew – steam turns from gas to liquid, like morning dew on the grass.
- Water Vapor to liquid water – vapor makes glasses foggy after moving into a warm room from the cold.
Examples of Liquid to Gas
The changing of a liquid to gas is called vaporization. Here are some examples of vaporization.
- Water to steam is vaporized after being boiled on a stove or kettle, forming thick vapor.
- Water evaporation – water evaporates from a pool or rain puddle during hot days.
Examples of Liquid to Solid Phase Transitioning
The changing of a liquid into a solid phase transition is called freezing. Here are some examples of changing the state of matter into a frozen material.
- Water to ice – when water becomes cold enough, it freezes and turns to ice. Almost every known liquid turns to ice when cold enough – except helium.
- Liquid to crystals – lots of liquids freeze during the process of crystallization. Liquid forms into what is called a ‘crystalline solid.’
Examples of Solid to Liquid
The changing of a solid into a liquid is called melting. Here are some examples of melting matter from a solid to a liquid.
- Rocks to lava – stones in volcanos can be heated until they become molten lava.
- Metal to molten liquid – metals can be molten down and reformed into solid.
- Ice to water – ice returns to its water form after being left in temperatures above freezing.
Examples of Solid to Gas
The changing of a solid to a gas is called sublimation. Here are some examples of sublimation.
- Dry ice sublimation – carbon dioxide is called ‘dry ice’ and sublimates at room temperature.
- Freeze-drying – water can be sublimated in food produced by using a vacuum to remove air particles.
