- #1
fog37
- 1,568
- 108
Hello Forum,
I am reviewing water and its 3 phases (solid, liquid and gas).
a) At the triple point, water can be in the three phases simultaneously. Does that mean that for a certain amount of water, say 30grams, we would find, approximately, 10 grams of liquid water, 10 grams of ice and 10 grams of gaseous water?
b) The boiling point for water, at atmospheric pressure, is 100 Celcius. I clearly see how water exists as a liquid at temperatures below 100C. But there is also water in the gaseous state below 100C. How do we explain that? My explanation is that many water molecules that are in the liquid phase are energetic enough to escape the liquid phase and get into the gaseous state. but water is predominantly liquid below 100 C. Surely, there is still a lot of water (vapor) in the air. So water appears to exist both as a liquid and gas at the same temperature and pressure. Can other substances do that?
I know that other materials, even when solid, can slowly evaporate (metals, for example). It seems that all three states of matter are actually taking place at the same time but some are more dominant than others at particular temperature and pressure...
Steam is water in the gaseous state. But steam looks white while water in the gaseous state is clear. Why? Is steam just a denser cloud of gaseous water? I know that there is a difference between gas and vapor: gas is when there is no liquid coexisting with the gas. Vapor is the gaseous state when the substance is also in the liquid state around it...
thanks!
I am reviewing water and its 3 phases (solid, liquid and gas).
a) At the triple point, water can be in the three phases simultaneously. Does that mean that for a certain amount of water, say 30grams, we would find, approximately, 10 grams of liquid water, 10 grams of ice and 10 grams of gaseous water?
b) The boiling point for water, at atmospheric pressure, is 100 Celcius. I clearly see how water exists as a liquid at temperatures below 100C. But there is also water in the gaseous state below 100C. How do we explain that? My explanation is that many water molecules that are in the liquid phase are energetic enough to escape the liquid phase and get into the gaseous state. but water is predominantly liquid below 100 C. Surely, there is still a lot of water (vapor) in the air. So water appears to exist both as a liquid and gas at the same temperature and pressure. Can other substances do that?
I know that other materials, even when solid, can slowly evaporate (metals, for example). It seems that all three states of matter are actually taking place at the same time but some are more dominant than others at particular temperature and pressure...
Steam is water in the gaseous state. But steam looks white while water in the gaseous state is clear. Why? Is steam just a denser cloud of gaseous water? I know that there is a difference between gas and vapor: gas is when there is no liquid coexisting with the gas. Vapor is the gaseous state when the substance is also in the liquid state around it...
thanks!