Triple Point Temperature

Introduction:

Definition Temperature:

The temperature means the degree of hotness and coldness of any particular substance.There are so many different types of the temperature such as the critical temperature, Curie temperature, triple point temperature etc. Critical temperature for the conductors is the temperature at which it loses its resistance completely. Curie temperature is the temperature at which the magnet loses its magnetism completely on heating. Here we discuss about the triple point temperature of any substance. The image below shows the different phases of water.

Examples of Triple Point Temperature

The triple point temperature of the substance is defined as the temperature at which that particular substance exists in all the three phases of matter, i.e., it exists in the form of solid, liquid and gas at that particular triple point temperature in the thermodynamic equilibrium. For example, the triple point temperature of the mercury is – 38.84°C, the triple point temperature of hydrogen is 13.8033 K and the triple point temperature of water is 0°C or 273.16 K.
Generally, the combination of pressure and the temperature at which the substance can exists in the stable equilibrium. In case of water, the triple point temperature is 273.16 K that means water exists in the form of ice, water and vapour at temperature 273.16K. In case of the triple point temperature, the surfaces separating the different phases should be perfectly flat so that there is no effect of the surface tension.

Conclusion for Triple Point Temperature

From the above discussion and the concept of the triple point temperature, the phase diagram of water is too complex. At the high temperature the pressure increases results first in liquid and then solid water. At the lower temperature, the liquid state disappears very slowly and then water converted into gas to solid. When the temperature is above that of the triple point at the constant pressure, the ice convert solid into liquid (water) and then steam (water vapour).
At the temperature below the triple point at the constant pressure almost zero that means in the outer space the liquid form of the water does not exists. In the process of the sublimation, the ice directly converts in the form of steam when it is heated.