What Is the Melting Point of a Solid

The melting point of a solid is the temperature at which it changes into a liquid.

When heat is applied to a solid, its particles gain energy and start vibrating faster. At a certain temperature, the particles break free from their fixed positions and the solid turns into a liquid. This temperature is known as the melting point.

Each substance has a fixed melting point. For example:

The melting point is used in identifying substances and testing purity. A pure substance melts sharply at a fixed temperature, while an impure one melts over a range.