What is freezing temp?

Freezing Point Information

The freezing point is the temperature at which a liquid transforms into a solid. At this temperature, the substance's particles slow down enough that intermolecular forces (attractions between molecules) are able to lock them into a fixed arrangement, forming a crystal lattice or other solid structure.

• Factors Affecting Freezing Point: The freezing point is influenced by several factors:

  • Intermolecular forces: Stronger intermolecular forces generally lead to higher freezing points.
  • Pressure: Increased pressure usually raises the freezing point, although water is an exception to this rule (see below).
  • Purity: Impurities usually lower the freezing point, a phenomenon called freezing point depression.

• Freezing Point Depression: Adding a solute (dissolved substance) to a solvent (liquid) lowers the freezing point of the solvent. This is a colligative property, meaning it depends on the number of solute particles, not their identity. This principle is used in applications like adding salt to icy roads to melt the ice.

• Water's Anomalous Behavior: Water exhibits unusual behavior. Its freezing point decreases with increasing pressure, unlike most other substances. This is due to the open, hydrogen-bonded structure of ice.

• Freezing Point vs. Melting Point: For a given substance, the freezing point and melting point are usually the same temperature under the same conditions. This is because the temperature at which a solid melts into a liquid is the same as the temperature at which the liquid freezes into a solid, assuming equilibrium.