The Melting Point of Substances — Passage
Have you ever left an ice cube on the kitchen counter? After a few minutes, it begins to turn into water. This process is called melting, and it happens when a solid changes into a liquid. The temperature at which this change occurs is called the melting point.
Each substance has its own melting point. For example, the melting point of ice (solid water) is 0 degrees Celsius. That means ice begins to melt at this temperature and becomes liquid water. Metals, wax, and even chocolate all have their own melting points too.
Melting point is considered a physical property. A physical property is something you can observe or measure without changing the substance into something new. When ice melts, it becomes water, but it’s still H₂O. The substance hasn’t changed—only its state has. That’s why melting point is useful for identifying different materials.
Understanding the melting point helps scientists and engineers. For example, in factories, knowing when metal will melt is important when building machines or tools. In cooking, knowing the melting point of ingredients like butter or chocolate helps control texture and flavor.
Melting also helps us learn how particles behave. When a solid heats up and begins to melt, its particles start to move faster and spread out, turning into a liquid. This shows how temperature affects the state and motion of particles in a substance.
In summary, the melting point is the temperature at which a solid becomes a liquid. It is a physical property that helps us understand and identify materials in everyday life and science.
Fun Fact: Gallium is a metal that melts in your hand! Its melting point is only about 29.8°C (85.6°F)—just a little warmer than room temperature.
What is the melting point?
The point where liquid turns into gasThe point where solid turns into gasThe temperature at which a solid becomes a liquidThe speed at which something cools downWhat is the melting point of ice?
100 degrees Celsius0 degrees Celsius-10 degrees Celsius10 degrees CelsiusWhy is melting point considered a physical property?
Because it changes the substance into a new oneBecause it only applies to waterBecause it changes the shape of the objectBecause it doesn't change the substance's identityWhat happens to particles when something melts?
They stop movingThey move slowerThey move faster and spread outThey freeze in placeWhich of the following is an example of melting?
Water turning into steamIce turning into waterButter getting coldMetal rustingWhat is the main idea of this passage?
How ice freezes into waterWhy solids are hardThe melting point and its role as a physical propertyCooking techniques for melting chocolateWhy is it helpful to know the melting point of a substance?
To break down objectsTo cook fasterTo identify and work with materialsTo create cold environmentsWhich word best describes the term melting?
CoolingHeating until a solid becomes liquidFreezingMixingRelated Content
