Would you expect a substance to be a solid, liquid, or gas at absolute zero? Explain your answer.

yes because all substances including gases with high vapor pressures, will solidify at absolute zero.

All substances, including gases with high vapor pressures, will solidify at absolute zero.

At absolute zero, which is the lowest possible temperature in the Kelvin scale (0 K or -273.15°C), a substance would generally be expected to exist in a solid state. This is because at such low temperatures, the particles in a substance will have very minimal kinetic energy, meaning they have hardly any motion. As a result, the intermolecular forces holding the particles together are stronger than the limited energy possessed by the particles, leading to a highly ordered and rigid structure characteristic of a solid.

However, it is important to note that the behavior of substances at absolute zero can vary based on their specific properties. Some substances may undergo a phase transition, such as a liquid-to-solid transition, as the temperature approaches absolute zero. In such cases, the substance would still be considered a solid at absolute zero. Gases, on the other hand, would generally condense into a liquid or solid state at or below their respective boiling points.

While solid is the expected state at absolute zero, it is important to consider that achieving an absolute zero temperature is extremely challenging in practice and has not been achieved yet.

To determine the state of a substance at absolute zero, we need to consider its phase diagram. A phase diagram is a graphical representation of the different states of matter under varying pressure and temperature conditions.

At absolute zero, the temperature is at its lowest possible value, which is -273.15 degrees Celsius or 0 Kelvin.

For most substances, the phase diagram shows that as temperature decreases, there is a specific temperature, known as the melting point or freezing point, where the substance transitions from the liquid state to the solid state. This occurs at a specific pressure known as the melting/freezing point pressure.

However, there are some substances that do not have a liquid phase and instead undergo a direct transition from the solid state to the gas state as temperature increases. These substances are called "sublimation substances" or "volatile substances."

Therefore, at absolute zero, a substance will be a solid if it does not undergo sublimation at any temperature or pressure. This means that most substances (not volatile) will be in the solid state at absolute zero.

However, for substances that undergo sublimation at any temperature and pressure, such as dry ice (solid carbon dioxide), it will be in the gas state at absolute zero because the transition from solid to gas occurs at temperatures lower than absolute zero.

In summary, whether a substance is a solid, liquid, or gas at absolute zero depends on its phase diagram and specifically its behavior at low temperatures and pressures.