Melting Point of Substances a. Definition of Melting Point b. Phase Transition c. Gibbs Phase Rule d. Phase Diagrams e.

Heating Curves f. Intermolecular Forces: Liquids and Solids g. Factors Affecting Melting Point of Substances

Thermodynamics provides a powerful language for describing and understanding the stabilities and transformations of phases. A phase is generally defined as a form of matter that is uniform throughout in chemical composition and physical state. It is the stability of the different states of aggregation of molecules which is a function of temperature and pressure. Phase transition is the spontaneous conversion of one phase into another phase at a characteristic temperature for a given pressure. Vaporization, melting, and the conversion of graphite to diamond are all examples of changes of phase without change of chemical composition [Atkins, P. et al., 2010]. This experiment was about measuring the melting points of unknown substances using the Thomas-Hoover Melting Point Apparatus and determining their identities and purities based on the measured melting point ranges. The physical changes of state that a particular substance can undergo can be represented by its phase diagram. A phase diagram is a convenient way of representing the phases of a substance as a function of temperature and pressure [Zumdahl, 2007]. These diagrams allow prediction of the nature of the phase(s) present for any condition of p and T (any state point on the diagram).

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Lines 1-2 and 2-C of the above diagram represent the conditions of pressure and temperature at which solid and liquid phases for a pure substance exist in equilibrium with its vapor phase. These vapor pressure vs. temperature lines characterize solid/vapor (line 1-2), liquid/vapor(line 2-C), and solid/liquid (line 2-3) equilibrium relationships. Points on these three lines represent conditions of P and T at which two phases may coexist. These lines divide the diagram into stable, single-phase regions. The sublimation curve (line 1-2), separates the solid and gas regions; the fusion curve (line 2-3) separates the solid and liquid regions; the vaporization curve (line 2-C) separates the liquid and gas regions [Smith, J.M. et al., 2005]. The point where these three curves meet corresponds to the unique value of the pressure and temperature at which all three phases can coexist and is called the triple point [Mortimer, 2008].

In this experiment, the melting point of the unknown substances was determined on the basis that the Gibb s phase rule applies. Generally, the melting point of a solid at a given pressure P is the temperature at which solid and liquid are in equilibrium [Levine, 2009]. According to the phase rule, F= 2 Pi + N Where Pi is the number of phases, N is the number of chemical species, and F is called the degrees of freedom of the system [Smith, J.M. et al., 2005]. For this experiment, N =1, since only one substance is studied at a time; Pi=2 as there are two phases present during melting, the liquid and the solid phase. For this system therefore, F=1. Thus, we only need to define one intensive property of . . . The melting temperature of a pure substance increases with increasing pressure, except for water, where the melting temperature decreases with increasing pressure. Intermolecular forces play an important role in a substance s melting point. The stronger the forces of attraction between the molecules of a substance, the higher its melting point. This is because more energy is required for the molecules to break loose from their bonds. The constancy of the freezing point or melting point throughout the phase transition is one of the best criteria of purity available for organic compounds. The melting point of a mixture is different from that of pure substance because in a way, the solute or contaminants may cause depression or elevation of the substance s melting point [Daniels, F. et al., 1956].