Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 11: Problem 88

Explain how water's phase diagram differs from those of most substances. What property of water causes the difference?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Water's phase diagram is unusual because the line between solid and liquid has a negative slope, indicating that increased pressure can cause a transition from solid to liquid, contrary to most substances. This occurs because water expands when it freezes due to the unique molecular structure of ice, which is less dense than liquid water.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Phase Diagrams

A phase diagram displays different states of a substance (solid, liquid, gas) at varying pressures and temperatures. It typically shows areas representing each state, separated by lines that indicate phase changes (e.g., solid to liquid). Crucially, the slope of the line between solid and liquid phases is typically positive.
02

Water’s Phase Diagram and Anomalous Behavior

Water’s phase diagram has one significant difference from most substances: the line between solid (ice) and liquid (water) slopes leftwards, meaning its slope is negative. This is highly unusual since for most substances, increasing pressure leads to the solid phase, but for water, more pressure can lead to the liquid state.
03

Identifying Cause of Difference

This unique behavior results from one of water's peculiar properties. At typical pressures, ice is less dense than water because of its molecular structure, which allows for plenty of empty space between water molecules. When pressure increases, these spaces collapse, leading to the liquefaction of ice. In essence, water expands when frozen, unusual for most substances that typically contract upon freezing.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

A student heated a beaker of cold water (on a tripod) with a Bunsen burner. When the gas is ignited, she noticed that there was water condensed on the outside of the beaker. Explain what happened.

What are the advantages of cooking the vegetable broccoli with steam instead of boiling it in water?

Explain how water's phase diagram differs from those of most substances. What property of water causes the difference?

Iron crystallizes in a body-centered cubic lattice. The cell length as determined by X-ray diffraction is \(286.7 \mathrm{pm}\). Given that the density of iron is \(7.874 \mathrm{~g} /\) \(\mathrm{cm}^{3},\) calculate Avogadro's number.

A sample of limestone \(\left(\mathrm{CaCO}_{3}\right)\) is heated in a closed vessel until it is partially decomposed. Write an equation for the reaction and state how many phases are present.
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

Chemical Reactions

Read Explanation

Physical Chemistry

Read Explanation

Ionic and Molecular Compounds

Read Explanation

Chemical Analysis

Read Explanation

Inorganic Chemistry

Read Explanation

Chemistry Branches

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free