Can Pressure Cause Water to Freeze at Room Temperature?

In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of changing water's state from liquid to gas or solid through altering its pressure and temperature. It mentions a classic experiment of boiling water at room temperature using a vacuum pump and raises the question of whether raising the temperature can cause water to freeze at a certain pressure. The conversation also touches on the idea of molecules and their density in determining the state of matter. However, it is noted that simply lowering the pressure is not enough to vaporize the liquid, as heat is also needed.
  • #1
pzona
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I imagine everyone here is familiar with the classic demonstration of making water boil at room temperature using a vacuum pump. Since lowering pressure changes the state from liquid to gas, can raising the temperature cause it to freeze? I know some about the difference in amounts of pressure it takes to undergo the change from liquid to gas and from liquid to solid, but is this even theoretically possible? Obviously it's not going to happen in a high school lab, but I was just wondering if there is a pressure at which water will freeze at room temperature.
 
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  • #2
I'm not that knowledge on chemistry, but since I believe a liquid, solid, and gas are determined by how dense their molecules are, that under significant pressure that molecules would be packed so tightly in order to call it a solid.
 
  • #3
pzona said:
Since lowering pressure changes the state from liquid to gas, can raising the temperature cause it to freeze?

I assume you mean pressure here. Yes, http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/water/images/phase.gif" .
 
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  • #4
pzona said:
lowering pressure changes the state from liquid to gas

That's not exactly true. Lowering pressure you lower boiling point temperature - but it is not enough to vaporize the liquid. For that you still need to add enough heat to the system (enthalpy of vaporization). Boiling in the experiment you have described is possible thanks to water lowering its temperature, and soon stops in the lack of external heating.
 

What is the pressure-state relationship?

The pressure-state relationship is a principle in thermodynamics that describes the relationship between pressure, volume, and temperature of a gas or fluid. It states that when the temperature is constant, the pressure and volume of a gas are inversely proportional.

How does pressure affect the state of a substance?

Pressure can affect the state of a substance by changing its temperature or volume. When pressure is applied to a gas, it decreases the volume and increases the temperature, leading to a change in state from gas to liquid. When pressure is released, the opposite effect occurs, and the substance changes back to its original state.

Why is the pressure-state relationship important?

The pressure-state relationship is essential in understanding the behavior of gases and fluids in various systems. It helps scientists and engineers predict how changes in pressure, volume, and temperature will affect the state of a substance, which is crucial in many industrial and scientific processes.

What is the ideal gas law and how does it relate to pressure and state?

The ideal gas law is a mathematical equation that describes the relationship between pressure, volume, temperature, and the number of moles of an ideal gas. It states that the product of pressure and volume is directly proportional to the temperature and number of moles of gas. This law helps in understanding the behavior of gases under different conditions, including changes in pressure and state.

How does pressure affect the phase transition of a substance?

Pressure plays a crucial role in the phase transition of a substance, such as from solid to liquid or liquid to gas. When pressure is applied to a substance, it can increase or decrease the temperature at which the phase transition occurs. For example, increasing the pressure on a gas can decrease its boiling point, causing it to change from gas to liquid at a lower temperature.

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