Consider the phase diagram for a substance shown here. The line between the solid and liquid phases has a positive slope because the solid phase is ________ than the liquid phase.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The line between the solid and liquid phases has a positive slope because the solid phase is more dense than the liquid phase. When a substance transitions from a solid to a liquid, the particles are able to move more freely and take up more space, resulting in a decrease in density. Therefore, the solid phase must be more dense than the liquid phase for the slope of the phase line to be positive.

Consider the Phase Diagram for a Substance Shown Here