Vaiheenkääntymisen

Vaiheenkääntymisen, also known as phase transition, is a physical process where a substance changes from one state of matter to another. This occurs when the temperature or pressure of the substance is altered, causing a change in the arrangement and energy of its constituent particles. Common examples include melting, where a solid becomes a liquid, or boiling, where a liquid becomes a gas. The reverse processes are also phase transitions, such as freezing (liquid to solid) and condensation (gas to liquid).

These transitions are characterized by a change in the physical properties of the substance, such as density, viscosity, and heat capacity. During a phase transition, energy is absorbed or released, often referred to as latent heat. For instance, energy is required to break the bonds holding particles together in a solid to form a liquid (melting), and further energy is needed to overcome intermolecular forces in a liquid to form a gas (boiling).

The specific conditions of temperature and pressure at which a phase transition occurs are known as the transition point. For example, water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius and boils at 100 degrees Celsius at standard atmospheric pressure. These transition points can be influenced by external factors. Understanding vaiheenkääntymisen is crucial in various scientific and engineering fields, from meteorology and materials science to chemical engineering.