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.
A)more dense
B)less dense
C)more massive
D)less massive
E)hotter

Question

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. 
A)more dense 
B)less dense 
C)more massive 
D)less massive 
E)hotter

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. This means that as pressure increases, the solid phase is favored over the liquid phase because the closer packing of particles in the solid phase allows it to withstand pressure better than the more disordered particles in the liquid phase.

Consider the Phase Diagram for a Substance Shown Here