The melting point is the temperature at which a solid changes into a liquid. At this temperature, the solid absorbs heat, and its particles gain enough energy to break free from their fixed positions and start to move, forming a liquid.
Each pure substance has a specific melting point, which can be used to:
Identify the substance
Check its purity (impurities usually lower and broaden the melting point)
For example, pure ice melts at 0°C.
In GCSE Chemistry, melting point is important for understanding changes of state, purity testing, and the physical properties of materials.
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