Final answer:
A phase change is most likely to be caused by the addition of heat to a system or changes in pressure and temperature, with an increase in temperature leading to an increase in both pressure and volume. The addition of heat can induce a phase change without a temperature change in the system, such as during boiling or melting. Sublimation and boiling are phase changes from solid to gas and liquid to gas, respectively.
Step-by-step explanation:
Phase changes in matter are primarily caused by the addition of heat or changes in pressure and temperature. When heat is added to a system, it can cause a phase change without a change in temperature, such as during the boiling or melting of a substance. An increase in temperature generally leads to an increase in both pressure and volume, based on the principles of thermodynamics, which can result in changes of state if the substance reaches its boiling or melting point.
Conversely, a decrease in pressure or an increase in volume can also precipitate a phase change, as seen in the boiling of liquid at lower pressures or the sublimation of dry ice (solid carbon dioxide) into a gaseous state at room temperature.
The phase change from a solid to a gas is called sublimation, while the change from a liquid to a gas is known as boiling or evaporation. An increased temperature can cause a shift in the equilibrium of a system undergoing a phase change, but it is ultimately the transfer of energy in the form of heat that drives the change in physical state without a temperature change in the system during the process.