Sulatuslämpötila

Sulatuslämpötila, also known as melting point, is the specific temperature at which a solid substance transitions into a liquid state. This transition occurs when the kinetic energy of the particles within the solid becomes sufficient to overcome the intermolecular forces holding them in a fixed, crystalline structure. At the melting point, both the solid and liquid phases of the substance can coexist in equilibrium.

The sulatuslämpötila is an intrinsic physical property of a pure crystalline substance, meaning it is characteristic and constant under a given pressure. Impurities in a substance typically lower its melting point and broaden the melting range, making it melt over a range of temperatures rather than at a single, sharp point. This phenomenon is often used in chemistry to assess the purity of a solid compound.

Different substances have vastly different sulatuslämpötilat. For example, water freezes and melts at 0 degrees Celsius (273.15 Kelvin), while iron melts at a much higher temperature of around 1538 degrees Celsius. The strong intermolecular forces in metals contribute to their generally high melting points. The sulatuslämpötila is also dependent on pressure, though for most solids, the effect of pressure is relatively small. Conversely, the boiling point, the temperature at which a liquid turns into a gas, is significantly more sensitive to pressure changes. Understanding the sulatuslämpötila is crucial in various fields, including materials science, chemistry, and engineering, for applications ranging from metallurgy to food processing.