Supercooled Liquid: What is it & How Does it Become Glass?

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In summary, Supercooled liquid is the process of chilling a liquid below its freezing point without it becoming solid. However, glass is an amorphous solid and not a liquid, and the process of glass transition is different from freezing and melting.
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gracy
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What is Supercooled liquid?How glass comes out to be Supercooled liquid?As far as i know Supercooling is the process of chilling a liquid below its freezing point, without it becoming solid.But glass looks like solid.Please explain
 
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Please look for information and read about "glass transition". It is different from freezing/melting, even if the initial and final states seem to be identical.
 
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gracy said:
What is Supercooled liquid?How glass comes out to be Supercooled liquid?As far as i know Supercooling is the process of chilling a liquid below its freezing point, without it becoming solid.But glass looks like solid.Please explain
Glass is an amorphous(i.e. non-crystalline) solid, not a liquid, similarly you can have amorphous silicon and amorphous metals. As Borek said you should look at the glass transition for more information.
 

FAQ: Supercooled Liquid: What is it & How Does it Become Glass?

What is a supercooled liquid?

A supercooled liquid is a substance that is in a liquid state at a temperature below its normal freezing point. This means that the liquid is below its freezing point, but it has not yet solidified into a solid state. Supercooled liquids are often referred to as "metastable" because they are in a state of unstable equilibrium and can easily transition into a solid state with the slightest disturbance.

How is a supercooled liquid different from a regular liquid?

A regular liquid has a freezing point at which it will solidify into a solid state, while a supercooled liquid has a lower freezing point and remains in a liquid state. Additionally, supercooled liquids exhibit unique physical properties, such as increased viscosity and decreased surface tension, that make them different from regular liquids.

How is a supercooled liquid formed?

A supercooled liquid can be formed by rapidly cooling a liquid below its normal freezing point. This can be done by either decreasing the temperature or increasing the pressure of the liquid. Another method is to remove the liquid's nucleation sites, which are small particles or imperfections that act as starting points for solidification. By removing these sites, the liquid can remain in a liquid state at a lower temperature.

What is the process of a supercooled liquid becoming glass?

When a supercooled liquid is heated, it can rapidly transition into a solid state without passing through the intermediate liquid phase. This process is known as vitrification, and the resulting solid is called a glass. The rapid cooling of the supercooled liquid prevents the molecules from arranging themselves in a crystal lattice, resulting in an amorphous solid with a random molecular structure.

What are the applications of supercooled liquids and glass?

Supercooled liquids and glass have a variety of applications in different fields. For example, supercooled liquids are used in cryopreservation to preserve biological materials, and in the production of high-strength and lightweight materials. Glass, on the other hand, has numerous applications in everyday objects such as windows, bottles, and mirrors, as well as in advanced technologies like fiber optics, electronics, and solar panels.

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