Final answer:
Electrical current, magnetic fields, and mechanical stress can all cause temperature and phase changes, similar to heat transfer. These changes occur due to their respective effects on the material's properties and structure.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks about other factors besides heat transfer that can cause temperature and phase changes in a substance. Options given are electrical current, magnetic fields, and mechanical stress. The correct answer to this question is that all of these factors can induce temperature and phase changes in materials.
Electrical current can generate heat through resistance in a material (Joule heating), and changes in electrical potential can also result in phase transitions, such as in electrocaloric materials. Magnetic fields can affect the ordering of magnetic materials causing heat to be absorbed or released, also known as the magnetocaloric effect, leading to changes in temperature and potentially phase. Mechanical stress can induce phase changes by altering the structure of a material through applied forces, which is observed in phenomena like piezoelectric and piezocaloric effects.
When considering phase changes, it is important to remember that they often occur with only a slight change in temperature of the system or without any temperature change in the case of an isothermal process. Moreover, work, in the form of mechanical energy transfer, can also lead to temperature and phase changes, expanding our understanding of thermodynamic processes.