Final answer:
The action of materials transforming into a more structured state can refer to phase changes or chemical reactions, where the substance undergoes transitions to different states or becomes an entirely new substance.
Step-by-step explanation:
A phase change is an alteration in the state of matter when a substance converts from solid to liquid, liquid to gas, or solid directly to gas. The processes representing transformation to a more energetic state include melting (solid to liquid), vaporization (liquid to gas, which includes boiling and evaporation), and sublimation (solid to gas). Moreover, a chemical process that changes a substance into something different alters the elemental composition and is known as a chemical reaction. These changes are ubiquitous in everyday life, such as digestion, synthesis of materials, and the processing of energy sources like crude oil.