Energy is really important for melting and freezing because it helps to break and form the connections between molecules.

Melting

• What Happens: When a solid turns into a liquid (melts), it takes in energy from its surroundings to break the bonds between its molecules.
• Latent Heat of Fusion: For water, it takes about 334 joules of energy to change 1 gram of ice into liquid water at 0 degrees Celsius.

Freezing

• What Happens: When something freezes, it gives off energy as the bonds between its molecules become stronger.
• Energy Release: As water turns from liquid to solid (freezes), it releases the same amount of energy, 334 joules, back into the environment. This helps to keep a balance in temperature.

In summary, changes in energy are really important when moving between solid and liquid states. They affect how molecules move and stay stable.