Freezing - GCSE Chemistry Definition

Freezing is the process where a liquid turns into a solid when it is cooled to a certain temperature, called the freezing point. For example, the liquid (water) freezes and becomes a solid (ice) at 0°C under normal conditions. This happens because the particles in the liquid slow down and begin to arrange themselves in a fixed, regular pattern, forming a solid. Freezing is the opposite of melting, where a solid turns back into a liquid. Understanding freezing helps us learn about changes of state and the behaviour of particles in matter, which is important in chemistry.