- Temperature increase: As the candle wax is heated, its temperature increases, causing the molecules to gain energy and move more vigorously.
- Molecular movement: The increased energy causes the molecules to vibrate and rotate more vigorously, breaking the intermolecular forces holding them in a fixed position.
- Structural change: As the intermolecular forces weaken, the molecules become less tightly packed, and the ordered, crystalline structure of the solid wax begins to break down.
- Transition to liquid: At the melting point, the intermolecular forces are overcome, and the wax undergoes a phase transition from a solid to a liquid. The molecules now have enough energy to move freely and are no longer held in a fixed position.
The liquid wax is characterized by the following properties:
- Fluidity: The liquid wax can flow and take the shape of its container.
- Lower density: The liquid wax has a lower density compared to its solid form, so it expands and occupies more space.
- Surface tension: The liquid wax exhibits surface tension due to the cohesive forces between its molecules, resulting in the formation of a curved surface.
- Evaporation: At elevated temperatures, the liquid wax can evaporate, releasing wax vapors into the air.
Upon cooling, the liquid wax undergoes the reverse process of solidification, where the molecules lose energy, slow down, and reform intermolecular forces, leading to the transition back to a solid state.
