jäätymislämpönä

Jäätymislämpönä, also known as the freezing point, is the temperature at which a liquid transitions into a solid state. This phase change occurs when the kinetic energy of the liquid molecules decreases to a point where the intermolecular forces can overcome the thermal motion, causing them to arrange themselves into a crystalline structure. For pure substances, the freezing point is a characteristic physical property that can be used for identification. It is also a reversible process, meaning that the solid will melt back into a liquid at its melting point, which is the same temperature as its freezing point.

The freezing point of a substance can be influenced by external factors such as pressure and the presence of impurities. For example, increasing pressure generally raises the freezing point of most substances, although water is a notable exception where increased pressure lowers its freezing point. The presence of dissolved solutes in a solvent, such as salt in water, lowers the freezing point. This phenomenon is known as freezing point depression and is a colligative property, meaning it depends on the concentration of solute particles rather than their specific identity. Freezing point depression is utilized in various applications, such as de-icing roads with salt and the use of antifreeze in car radiators to prevent the coolant from freezing.

The freezing point is an important concept in various scientific disciplines, including chemistry, physics, and meteorology. It plays a role in understanding weather patterns, the behavior of materials under different conditions, and the design of scientific experiments.