High School

At what temperature does water go from a solid to a liquid?

-273.15 degrees Celsius
0 degrees Celsius
32 degrees Celsius
100 degrees Celsius
212 degrees Celsius

Answer :

Water transitions from a solid (ice) to a liquid (water) at 0 degrees Celsius. This process is called melting, and it is one of the fundamental concepts in chemistry and physics related to phase changes.

Here's a breakdown of the options provided and why 0 degrees Celsius is correct:

  • -273.15 degrees Celsius: This temperature is known as absolute zero, the lowest possible temperature where all molecular motion ceases. It is not relevant to the melting point of water.

  • 0 degrees Celsius: This is the correct answer. At this temperature, ice (solid water) melts to become liquid water under standard atmospheric pressure (1 atm).

  • 32 degrees Celsius: This is incorrect for melting. However, 32 degrees Fahrenheit is equivalent to 0 degrees Celsius and is the melting point in the Fahrenheit scale.

  • 100 degrees Celsius: This is the boiling point of water, where it transitions from a liquid to a gas.

  • 212 degrees Celsius: This temperature is higher than the boiling point and is actually equivalent to 100 degrees Celsius in the Fahrenheit scale; thus, it is about the temperature at which water boils, not melts.

Therefore, water goes from solid to liquid precisely at 0 degrees Celsius under normal atmospheric conditions.