The Complete Guide - Freezing, Melting, and Boiling Points of Solids, Liquids, and Gases
Freezing, Melting, and Boiling Points of Solids, Liquids, and Gases
Definition of Boiling Point
The temperature at which a liquid boils and turns into a gas. The boiling point temperature will be lower if the atmospheric pressure is decreased. For example the boiling point of pure water at standard atmospheric pressure (or sea level) is 100°C (212°F) while at 10,000 feet (3,048m) it is 90.39° C (194.7°F). This decrease will affect the time it takes to cook anything in water to the extent that any food that requires five minutes to prepare at sea level will take around 20 minutes at 3km (10,000 feet). In theory you could also calculate your altitude by recording the temperature water boils at.
Solvent based liquids will generally have a lower boiling point than water. In other words they will require less heat to turn them into vapour. Liquids with a much lower boiling point than water are generally classed as flammable.
Definition of Freezing Point
The temperature at which a liquid becomes a solid. The freezing point temperature will be higher if the pressure is increased. This may not be by a noticeable amount due to the volume change upon melting being much smaller than the volume change (expansion) when boiling. For example the freezing point of pure water at standard atmospheric pressure (or zero feet) is 0°C (32°F) while at 11km (6 miles) above sea level it would only be 0.001°C higher.
The only known liquid that does not freeze, even at absolute zero, is liquid helium unless it is under pressure.
Definition of Melting Point
The temperature that a solid substance becomes a liquid. Some solids do not have a liquid state and will change directly from a solid to a gaseous state. This is called sublimation, e.g. Carbon Dioxide (dry ice).
Melting Point/Freezing Point
The terms melting point or freezing point are often interchanged depending on whether a substance is being heated or cooled. For liquids it is known as the freezing point and for solids it is called the melting point. The melting point of a solid and the freezing point of the liquid are normally the same.
Table of Boiling and Melting/Freezing Points at Sea Level (Standard Atmospheric Pressure). The information is provided in centigrade (Celsius).
A to C
Substance
| Boiling Point
| Freezing/Melting Point
|
|---|---|---|
Aluminium
| 2,519
| 660.3
|
Argon
| -185.8
| -189.34
|
Butane
| -1
| -140
|
Calcium
| 1,484
| 842
|
Carbon
| 4,827
| 3,550
|
Carbon Dioxide
| -57
| -78
|
Chloroform
| 61.2
| -63.5
|
Chlorine
| -34
| -101.5
|
Cobalt
| 2,870
| 1,495
|
Copper
| 2,562
| 1,085
|
E to M
Substance
| Boiling Point
| Freezing/Melting Point
|
|---|---|---|
Ethanol (Alcohol)
| 78.4
| -114
|
Gold
| 2,856
| 1,064
|
Glycerol
| 290
| 17.8
|
Helium
| -268.9
| -272.2
|
Hydrogen
| -252.9
| -259.1
|
Iodine
| 184.3
| 113.7
|
Iron
| 2,862
| 1,538
|
Lead
| 1,750
| 327.5
|
Magnesium
| 1,091
| 650
|
Mercury
| 356.7
| -38.8
|
Methanol
| 64.7
| -97.6
|
N to P
Substance
| Boiling Point
| Freezing/Melting Point
|
|---|---|---|
Neon
| -246
| -248.6
|
Nickel
| 2,913
| 1,455
|
Nitric Acid
| 83
| -42
|
Nitrogen
| -195.8
| -210
|
Oxygen
| -183
| -218.8
|
Phosphorus
| 280.5
| 44.2
|
Platinum
| 3,825
| 1,768
|
Plutonium
| 3,232
| 639.4
|
Potassium
| 758.8
| 63.4
|
Propane
| -42
| -188
|
R to Z
Substance
| Boiling Point
| Freezing/Melting Point
|
|---|---|---|
Radium
| 1,140
| 699.8
|
Radon
| -61.9
| -71.2
|
Sea Water
| 100.7
| -2
|
Silicon
| 2,357
| 1,414
|
Silver
| 2,162
| 961.8
|
Sodium
| 882.8
| 97.7
|
Sulphur
| 444.7
| 115.2
|
Sulphuric Acid
| 337
| 10.3
|
Tin
| 2,603
| 231.9
|
Titanium
| 3,287
| 1,668
|
Uranium
| 4,131
| 1,132
|
Water
| 100
| 0
|
Zinc
| 907
| 419.5
|
Questions & Answers
Comments
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In freezing point it is often stated that vapour pressure of liquid=vapour pressure of solid
How??? Can u please answer.
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could you help me a bit more with the freezing topic,
I have to do a ppt on it & i need a bit of help
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but i was confused in co2 boiling pt
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why is hydrogens melting point -259.1 but silvers melting point is 961.8
its cool that thats what it looks like...but i like seeing the new things about it. its cool...and interesting...but can you tell us something new about it? I'm in science class and i'm in 5th grade and we are learning about this stuff. kind of...we are learning solids, liquids and gases
I very intrested
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Thanks
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I will ao that your good
too much info
For those asking what measurement it is in, it's in Celsius, as it says before the first table.
Hi this is very help full just next time add celsius,degree and fahrenheit
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Is these degree Celsius or Fahrenheit?
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Classify a substance as solids, liquids and gases by looking at melting point and boiling point
good.thanks for education.
Can you help me name a liquid with a melting point of -15°C
Helpful
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Can u please provide the reference for the information
fine
What is the overall Celsius degree at which an average solid melts?
Great i was looking for fahrenheit though
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do you reply to everyone along the lines of Glad to help. Also pleased that you love science. Brian
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