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Related Concept Videos

Phase Changes01:19

Phase Changes

Phase transitions play an important theoretical and practical role in the study of heat flow. In melting or fusion, a solid turns into a liquid; the opposite process is freezing. In evaporation, a liquid turns into a gas; the opposite process is condensation.
A substance melts or freezes at a temperature called its melting point and boils or condenses at its boiling point. These temperatures depend on pressure. High pressure favors the denser form of the substance, so typically, high pressure...
Phase Transitions02:31

Phase Transitions

Whether solid, liquid, or gas, a substance's state depends on the order and arrangement of its particles (atoms, molecules, or ions). Particles in the solid pack closely together, generally in a pattern. The particles vibrate about their fixed positions but do not move or squeeze past their neighbors. In liquids, although the particles are closely spaced, they are randomly arranged. The position of the particles are not fixed—that is, they are free to move past their neighbors to occupy...
Phase Transitions01:21

Phase Transitions

A phase transition is the process in which a substance changes from one state of matter to another, like from a solid to a liquid, liquid to gas, or vice versa, at a specific temperature and under given pressure conditions. This change is spontaneous and is affected by alterations in temperature and pressure. These parameters impact the strength of the forces between molecules (intermolecular forces) in the substance.During a phase transition, both the initial and final phases of the substance...
States of Matter and Phase Changes00:59

States of Matter and Phase Changes

The internal energy of a substance—the total kinetic energy of all its molecules and the potential energy of their associated forces—depends on the strength of the intermolecular forces in the condensed phases and the pressure exerted on the substance. The internal energy of a substance is the highest in the gaseous state, the lowest in the solid state, and intermediate in the liquid state. Phase transitions are caused by changes in physical conditions, such as temperature and pressure, that...
Phase Transitions: Melting and Freezing02:39

Phase Transitions: Melting and Freezing

Heating a crystalline solid increases the average energy of its atoms, molecules, or ions, and the solid gets hotter. At some point, the added energy becomes large enough to partially overcome the forces holding the molecules or ions of the solid in their fixed positions, and the solid begins the process of transitioning to the liquid state or melting. At this point, the temperature of the solid stops rising, despite the continual input of heat, and it remains constant until all of the solid is...
Phase Diagram01:19

Phase Diagram

The phase of a given substance depends on the pressure and temperature. Thus, plots of pressure versus temperature showing the phase in each region provide considerable insights into the thermal properties of substances. Such plots are known as phase diagrams. For instance, in the phase diagram for water (Figure 1), the solid curve boundaries between the phases indicate phase transitions (i.e., temperatures and pressures at which the phases coexist).

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 11, 2026

High-Contrast and Fast Photorheological Switching of a Twist-Bend Nematic Liquid Crystal
06:24

High-Contrast and Fast Photorheological Switching of a Twist-Bend Nematic Liquid Crystal

Published on: October 31, 2019

Phase change instability in the mantle.

G Schubert, D L Turcotte, E R Oxburgh

    Science (New York, N.Y.)
    |September 11, 1970
    PubMed
    Summary

    Phase changes in Earth's upper mantle, where lighter material sits above denser material under a temperature gradient, can become unstable. This instability may drive global tectonic plate movement.

    Area of Science:

    • Geophysics
    • Solid Earth Geodynamics
    • Mineral Physics

    Background:

    • Phase transitions in the Earth's mantle are critical for understanding its dynamics.
    • The upper mantle features significant phase changes, such as the olivine-spinel transition at 400 km depth.
    • The arrangement of phases (less dense above denser) in a temperature gradient is a key factor in mantle convection.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the stability of phase changes in the upper mantle under specific conditions.
    • To determine if phase change instabilities can occur at the 400-km olivine-spinel transition and shallower depths.
    • To explore the potential of these instabilities as a driving force for global tectonics.

    Main Methods:

    • Utilized approximate calculations to model phase change behavior.

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    In Situ Neutron Powder Diffraction Using Custom-made Lithium-ion Batteries
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    Last Updated: Jul 11, 2026

    High-Contrast and Fast Photorheological Switching of a Twist-Bend Nematic Liquid Crystal
    06:24

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    Published on: October 31, 2019

    Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets
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  • Analyzed the influence of temperature gradients on phase stability.
  • Examined instabilities related to the olivine-spinel phase transition and partial melting.

    • Main Results:

    • Phase changes with less dense material above denser material can be unstable in the presence of a temperature gradient.
    • Instabilities were found to be possible for the 400-km olivine-spinel transition.
    • Similar instabilities were indicated for partial melting at shallower mantle depths.

    Conclusions:

    • Mantle phase changes, particularly the olivine-spinel transition and partial melting, can become unstable.
    • These instabilities can generate flow patterns within the upper mantle.
    • Such flow patterns may represent a significant driving mechanism for plate tectonics.