why does water freeze and melt at 0ºC?
2007-02-05 07:03:00 · 5 answers · asked by emy_015 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
It's because you are asking a synonymous question - the answer is they are the same thing.
Just like the boiling point and condensation point of water are the same thing - Why - because they just are - by definition.
Actually, if you did a very carefully controlled experiment - you would find a surprise. The two are experimentally slightly different. If you heated up a cooled solution of liquid niitrogen (slowly) to 0 degrees (with a water sample) you would see water melt at probably 1-3 degrees C. If you then very slowly recooled the apparatus down again you would see a sharp crystallization tempertature at probably -1 C.
Ask your lab instructor to explain why this is true.
2007-02-05 07:24:59 · answer #1 · answered by Dr Dave P 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, they are in fact part of the same process. Freezing point is the temperature at which water gets converted to ice, while melting point is the temperature at which ice gets converted to ice. So, if you see, one process is just the reverse of the other and freezing and the melting points are the common points among those two.
2016-05-24 18:57:38 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The melting point is a temperature below which water is a solid and above which water is a liquid. It doesn't matter whether it starts out as a liquid or a solid. It's just passing the same temperature from different directions.
2007-02-05 07:11:01 · answer #3 · answered by xit_vono 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is because its the change of state between liquid and solid and it works both ways. Similar situation applies to its change from water to vapour as steam
2007-02-05 07:19:25 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good question, I guess the directional temp trend is the deciding factor for which way it goes!
2007-02-05 07:07:58 · answer #5 · answered by ktbaron 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋