Clarification About Heating Metals (basics)

[lc99]

Homework Statement

So i have a few scenerios on my physics prelab that I want to clear up and understand.

1) What happens to the temperature when you heat up a solid metal much below its melting point?
2) What about when the solid metal starts to melt (and you are heating it still)?
3) What about when the solid completely melts?

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

1) I think that the temperature wouldn't rise. This is because all the heat is going into breaking up the bonds that make the steel solid. So, the temperature should stay constant.

2) The temperature would rise. This is because in the melting phase, the object's temperature would have the opportunity to rise as the solid has broken down.

3) the temperature would go back to constant. The heat is used to get the temperature up to the next phase change (just like in the first scenario)

 

[NascentOxygen]

In (1), you are saying that when you direct a flame onto a block of metal, the metal doesn't get hotter?

"much below" means "way below"

 

[lc99]

In (1), you are saying that when you direct a flame onto a block of metal, the metal doesn't get hotter?

"much below" means "way below"

oops. i think i made a mistake.

1) increase to get to the melting temp
2) constant to break down the material
3) increase like 1

 

[NascentOxygen]

(3) increases until ...?