Identify each of the following changes of state as melting, freezing, sublimation, or deposition:
b. Snow on the ground turns to liquid water.

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the initial state of the substance: In this case, snow is in the solid state (ice).
2. Identify the final state of the substance: The snow turns into liquid water, so the final state is liquid.
3. Determine the process that describes the change from solid to liquid: The transition from a solid to a liquid is called melting.
4. Recall that melting occurs when a substance absorbs heat energy, causing its particles to overcome the rigid structure of the solid and move more freely as a liquid.
5. Conclude that the change of state described in the problem is melting.

Key Concepts

Melting

Melting is the process where a solid turns into a liquid due to an increase in temperature. This occurs when the particles in a solid gain enough energy to overcome the forces holding them together, allowing them to move freely as a liquid. In the context of the question, snow, which is solid ice, melts into liquid water as it warms.

Freezing

Freezing is the reverse process of melting, where a liquid turns into a solid as its temperature decreases. During freezing, the particles in a liquid lose energy and come together to form a solid structure. This concept is important to understand the phase changes of water, but it is not applicable to the scenario described in the question.

Phase Change

A phase change refers to the transition of a substance from one state of matter to another, such as solid, liquid, or gas. These changes are driven by temperature and pressure variations, affecting the energy and arrangement of particles. In the question, the transition of snow (solid) to water (liquid) exemplifies a phase change, specifically melting.