Changes of Phase (or State)

The term 'change of phase' means the same thing as the term 'change of state'.
There are three states, or phases, of matter. They are:

• Solid
• Liquid
• Gas

When a substance changes from one state, or phase, of matter to another we say that it has undergone a change of state, or we say that it has undergone a change of phase.
These changes of phase always occur with a change of heat. Heat, which is energy, either comes into the material during a change of phase or heat comes out of the material during this change. However, although the heat content of the material changes, the temperature does not.

These changes of phase always occur with a change of heat. Heat, which is energy, either comes into the material during a change of phase or heat comes out of the material during this change. However, although the heat content of the material changes, the temperature does not.
Here are the five changes of phase.

Description of Phase Change	Term for Phase Change	Heat Movement During Phase Change
Solid to liquid	Melting	Heat goes into the solid as it melts.
Liquid to solid	Freezing	Heat leaves the liquid as it freezes.
Liquid to gas	Vaporization, which includes boiling and evaporation	Heat goes into the liquid as it vaporizes.
Gas to liquid	Condensation	Heat leaves the gas as it condenses.
Solid to gas	Sublimation	Heat goes into the solid as it sublimates.

Changing States of Matter

Elements and compounds can move from one physical state to another and not change their basic atomic

parts. Oxygen (O₂) as a gas still has the same properties as liquid oxygen. The liquid state is colder and denser, but the molecules (the basic parts) are still the same. Water (H₂O) is another example. A water molecule is made up of two hydrogen (H) atoms and one oxygen (O) atom. It has the same molecular structure whether it is a gas, liquid, or solid. Although its physical state may change, its chemical state remains the same.

So you're asking, "What is a chemical change?" Let's start with a glass of pure water. If the formula of water were to change, that would be a chemical change. If you could just add a second oxygen atom, you would have hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). The molecules in your glass would not be water anymore. A chemical change happens when the atoms in a molecule are moved around or when atoms are added or taken away. Chemical changes happen when bonds between atoms are created or destroyed. Changing physical states of matter is about changing densities, pressures, temperatures, and other physical properties. The basic chemical structure does not change when there is a physical change.

TYPES OF MATTER: MIXTURES

Mixture Basics Mixtures are absolutely everywhere you look. Most things in nature are mixtures. Look at rocks, the ocean, or even the atmosphere. They are all mixtures, and mixtures are about physical properties, not chemical ones. That statement means the individual molecules enjoy being near each other, but their fundamental chemical structure does not change when they enter the mixture. If the chemical structure changed, it would be called a reaction. When you see distilled water (H2O), it's a pure substance. That means that there are only water molecules in the liquid. A mixture would be a glass of water with other things dissolved inside, maybe one of those powders you take if you get sick. Each of the substances in that glass keeps its own chemical properties. So, if you have some dissolved substances in water, you can boil off the water and still have those dissolved substances left over. If you have some salt (NaCl) in water and then boil off the water, the salt remains in the pan. The salt is left because it takes very high temperatures to melt salt (even more to boil it). Mixtures are Everywhere

There are an infinite number of mixtures. Anything you can combine is a mixture. Think of everything you eat. Just think about how many cakes there are. Each of those cakes is made up of a different mixture of

ingredients. Even the wood in your pencil is considered a mixture. There is the basic cellulose of the wood, but there are also thousands of other compounds in that pencil. Solutions are also mixtures, but all of the molecules are evenly spread out through the system. They are called homogenous mixtures.

If you put sand into a glass of water, it is considered to be a mixture. You can always tell a mixture, because each of the substances can be separated from the group in different physical ways. You can always get the sand out of the water by filtering the water away. If you were busy, you could just leave the sand and water mixture alone for a few minutes. Sometimes mixtures separate on their own. When you come back, you will find that all of the sand has sunk to the bottom. Gravity was helping you with the separation. Don't forget that a mixture can also be made of two liquids. Even something as simple as oil and water is a mixture.

Alloys

There are a few more words you might hear when people talk about mixtures. We can't cover all of them, but

we'll give you a quick overview of the biggies. Alloys are basically a mixture of two or more metals. Don't forget that there are many elements on the periodic table. Elements like calcium (Ca) and potassium (K) are considered metals. Of course, there are also metals like silver (Ag) and gold (Au). You can also have alloys that include small amounts of non-metallic elements like carbon (C). Metals are the key thing to remember for alloys.

The main idea with alloys is that the combinations work better together than any of the metals do alone. Metallurgists (people who work with metals) sometimes add chromium (Cr) and/or nickel (Ni) to steel. While steel is already an alloy that is a very strong metal, the addition of small amounts of the other metals help steel resist rusting. Depending on what element is added, you could create Stainless Steel or Galvanized Steel. It's always about improving specific qualities of the original. Another good example of an alloy happens when metallurgists add carbon to steel. A tiny amount of carbon (a non-metallic element) makes steel stronger. These special carbon-steel alloys are used in armor plating and weapons.