117k views
1 vote
"When ice is heated above 0 degrees Celsius, it melts. Is this a theory or a law?

a) A theory
b) A law"

1 Answer

5 votes

Final answer:

Ice melting when heated above 0°C is considered a law, specifically relating to the phase change from solid to liquid without increasing the temperature above the melting temperature.

Step-by-step explanation:

When ice is heated above 0 degrees Celsius and it melts, this is considered a law. In scientific terms, a law describes a consistently observed phenomenon that can be used for prediction. In this case, the phase change of ice melting when heated above 0 degrees Celsius is a consistently observed event that can be predicted to occur under those conditions, reflecting the understanding described in the second law of thermodynamics.

The process of ice melting is an endothermic phase change where the ice absorbs heat without raising the temperature above its melting temperature of 0°C. The energy goes into changing the state from solid to liquid. Only after all the ice is melted will the water's temperature begin to rise, assuming more heat is applied.

User Paolo Bonzini
by
8.2k points

No related questions found