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Water vapor (gas) can never change into a solid (frost). What is the missing information?

a) Temperature
b) Pressure
c) Humidity
d) Phase transition

User E Ciotti
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The incorrect statement about water vapor not being able to change into solid frost misses the essential conditions of temperature and pressure, which, when suitable, can allow water vapor to directly transition into a solid via deposition, the reverse of sublimation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement "Water vapor (gas) can never change into a solid (frost)" is incorrect. Sublimation is the phase change from solid to gas and vice versa without going through the liquid phase. For water, there is no liquid phase at pressures below 0.00600 atm. Hence, at sufficiently low pressures or sufficiently low temperatures, water vapor can change directly into frost. This process occurs during deposition, which is the reverse of sublimation. An example of deposition is frost forming on a window on a cold day. Therefore, what is missing in the statement is temperature and pressure conditions that allow water vapor to transition directly into a solid state.

User MyNameIs
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