why does the melted wax turns solid when dropped on water ?
When melted wax is dropped onto water, it quickly solidifies because of the dramatic temperature difference. Here is a step-by-step explanation:
1. Melting Point: Wax is made up of long-chain hydrocarbon molecules, which have a high melting point. In its solid state, the molecules are closely packed together, forming a structured lattice.
2. Heating: When heat is applied to the wax, the molecules gain energy and start vibrating more vigorously. This increased motion weakens the intermolecular forces, causing the wax to melt and turn into a liquid.
3. Cooling: As the melted wax is dropped onto the water, it rapidly loses heat to the surrounding liquid. Water has a higher thermal conductivity, meaning it can absorb heat more efficiently than air.
4. Temperature Difference: The water is significantly cooler than the melted wax, causing the wax molecules to lose energy and slow down their movement. This reduction in motion allows the intermolecular forces to regain strength, causing the wax to solidify again.
5. Formation of Solid: As the wax cools down, the hydrocarbon molecules arrange themselves back into a structured lattice. This process of solidification is also known as crystallization, where the molecules form an ordered pattern to become a solid once again.
Overall, the rapid cooling of melted wax in contact with water causes it to solidify quickly due to the temperature difference and the restoration of intermolecular forces within the molecules.
When melted wax is dropped onto water, it quickly solidifies into a solid form. This occurs because of the difference in temperature and the nature of the substances involved.
To understand why melted wax solidifies on water, we need to consider the concept of temperature and heat transfer. When wax is in its solid form, its particles are closely packed together and have a certain arrangement. As it is heated, the wax melts and turns into a liquid. In its liquid form, the particles have more energy and are more spread out, which gives it a flowing consistency.
When the liquid wax comes into contact with the water, heat is transferred from the hot wax to the cooler water. Water has a higher heat capacity than wax, meaning it can absorb more heat before its temperature increases significantly. As a result, the water rapidly absorbs the heat from the liquid wax, causing it to cool down and solidify again.
Additionally, wax is generally hydrophobic, which means it does not mix or dissolve in water. The solidification process is also facilitated by the fact that the wax molecules have an affinity for each other, forming strong intermolecular bonds when they come into contact. This allows the wax to solidify back into its original solid form.
In summary, the melted wax turns solid when dropped on water because the water rapidly absorbs the heat from the liquid wax, causing it to cool down and solidify. The hydrophobic nature of wax, along with the formation of intermolecular bonds, further aids in the solidification process.