Huwerl Thornton, Jr.
Matter occurs in three different states. These different states are known as the solid phase, liquid phase, and gas phase. The temperatures at which a substance melts and changes from a solid to a liquid, and the temperature at which a liquid boils and changes from a liquid to a gas, are all determined by the bonding forces among atoms and or molecules. The stronger the bonds, the more energy is needed to overcome those bonds. Thus, the higher the temperature at which the material shifts from one phase to another. During the shift from one phase to the next, all the heat added to the material goes into completing the phase change. While heating a solid-liquid mix the temperature of that solid-liquid mix (i.e. ice water) will remain fairly constant until the entire solid has melted. Likewise, water (liquid) that is boiling, remains at that constant temperature but after it turns to steam (gas) the temperature of the steam can rise dramatically.