jäätymisprosessi

Jäätymisprosessi refers to the physical process by which a liquid transforms into a solid. This change of state occurs when the temperature of a substance falls below its freezing point. At this specific temperature, the kinetic energy of the molecules within the liquid decreases to a point where the intermolecular forces become strong enough to hold them in a fixed, ordered structure, characteristic of a solid.

The freezing point of a substance is a characteristic property and is the same temperature as its melting point. For water, this temperature is 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) at standard atmospheric pressure. During the freezing process, heat is released from the substance to its surroundings. This is known as the latent heat of fusion. Even though the temperature of the substance remains constant at the freezing point during the phase change, energy is still being removed.

Factors such as pressure can influence the freezing point. For most substances, an increase in pressure raises the freezing point. However, water is an exception; its freezing point decreases with increasing pressure. Impurities in a liquid can also lower its freezing point, a phenomenon known as freezing point depression, which is utilized in applications like salting roads in winter to prevent ice formation. The rate of cooling can affect the crystal structure formed during freezing, potentially leading to the formation of amorphous solids or different crystalline forms.