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Phase Diagrams

Phase Diagrams

A phase diagram combines plots of pressure versus temperature for the liquid-gas, solid-liquid, and solid-gas phase-transition equilibria of a substance. These diagrams indicate the physical states that exist under specific conditions of pressure and temperature and also provide the pressure dependence of the phase-transition temperatures (melting points, sublimation points, boiling points). Regions or areas labeled solid, liquid, and gas represent single phases, while lines or curves represent...

Phase Diagram

Phase Diagram

A phase diagram is a graphical representation of the physical states of a substance under different conditions of temperature and pressure. It shows the boundaries between solid, liquid, and gas phases and the conditions at which these phases coexist in equilibrium. An area in a phase diagram represents a single phase, whereas lines or phase boundaries represent the equilibrium between two phases.In the phase diagram of water, the boundary line between the solid and liquid states illustrates...

Phase Diagram

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).

States of Water

States of Water

Water exists in any one of the three classical states: solid (ice), liquid (water), and gas (steam or water vapor). The state of water depends on i) the intermolecular forces that draw molecules together and ii) the kinetic energy that leads to movements that pull them apart.
Water freezes when the intermolecular forces are greater than the kinetic energy. Unlike most other substances, water is less dense in its solid state than in its liquid state. This is because each water molecule can form...

The Phase Rule

The Phase Rule

The phase rule describes the relationship between the variance (degrees of freedom), the number of components, and the number of phases in a system at equilibrium.Variance is a concept that denotes the number of independent intensive properties (properties are those that do not depend on the amount of material in the system), such as temperature, pressure, and composition, that can be altered without impacting the number of phases in equilibrium.In a single-component system, such as pure water,...

Phase Transitions: Vaporization and Condensation

Phase Transitions: Vaporization and Condensation

The physical form of a substance changes on changing its temperature. For example, raising the temperature of a liquid causes the liquid to vaporize (convert into vapor). The process is called vaporization—a surface phenomenon. Vaporization occurs when the thermal motion of the molecules overcome the intermolecular forces, and the molecules (at the surface) escape into the gaseous state. When a liquid vaporizes in a closed container, gas molecules cannot escape. As these gas phase molecules...

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Updated: Jul 4, 2026

Visualizing Hyporheic Flow Through Bedforms Using Dye Experiments and Simulation

Visualizing Hyporheic Flow Through Bedforms Using Dye Experiments and Simulation

Published on: November 18, 2015

A plastic phase of water from computer simulation.

Yoshio Takii¹, Kenichiro Koga, Hideki Tanaka

¹Department of Chemistry, Okayama University, 3-1-1 Tsushima-naka, Okayama 700-8530, Japan.

The Journal of Chemical Physics

|June 3, 2008

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Scientists discovered a new plastic ice phase where water molecules rotate freely within an ordered structure. This rotator phase forms at high pressures and temperatures, absorbing significant heat during transitions.

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Visualizing Hyporheic Flow Through Bedforms Using Dye Experiments and Simulation

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Combining Microfluidics and Microrheology to Determine Rheological Properties of Soft Matter during Repeated Phase Transitions

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Published on: April 19, 2018

Area of Science:

Physical Chemistry
Materials Science
Condensed Matter Physics

Background:

High-pressure ices exhibit diverse crystalline structures.
Understanding molecular mobility in ice phases is crucial for planetary science and materials engineering.

Purpose of the Study:

To report the discovery and characterization of a novel plastic ice phase.
To investigate the formation conditions and properties of this rotator phase.

Main Methods:

Utilized molecular dynamics simulations with three classical water models.
Simulated ice VII heating and liquid water cooling at high pressures (several gigapascals).
Analyzed molecular behavior and thermodynamic properties during phase transitions.

Main Results:

Identified a plastic ice phase (rotator phase) where water molecules exhibit liquid-like rotation within an ordered lattice.
Observed the formation of this phase at high pressures upon heating ice VII or cooling liquid water.
Documented significant latent heat absorption during the ice VII to rotator phase transition at 590 K and 10 GPa.

Conclusions:

The rotator phase represents a distinct state of solid water with unique molecular dynamics.
The observed characteristics align with plastic transitions typical for nearly spherical molecules.
The simulated plastic phase's robustness, even with modified interactions, supports its physical relevance.