Phase Change

Definition

The transformation of a substance from one state of matter to another, which requires energy to drive and is the basis of refrigeration.

For a liquid to become a gas, three conditions must be met: sensible heat to build molecular speed, latent heat to break the intermolecular bonds, and the right pressure setting the external price. One ton of refrigeration originally described melting one ton of ice over 24 hours, a reminder that refrigeration is about phase change, not just temperature. Refrigerants like R-134a change phase easily, while water resists strongly.

Related concepts

Refrigerant · Sensible Heat · Boiling Point

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Part of The Blueprint of Water · 🔥 thermodynamics