Which term describes the process of a liquid solidifying into a solid?

The process of a liquid turning into a solid is known as freezing. This occurs when the temperature of the liquid drops to its freezing point, allowing the molecules to lose kinetic energy and arrange themselves into a more ordered structure, forming a solid.

In pure water, for example, freezing happens at 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) under standard atmospheric pressure. When water reaches this temperature, the molecules slow down enough to stick together and create a solid crystalline structure known as ice.

Understanding this concept is essential for studying phase transitions in materials, as freezing is a fundamental process that can be observed in various substances, not just water. The other terms mentioned relate to different phase changes: condensation refers to gas turning into liquid, evaporation relates to liquid turning into gas, and deposition describes the process where gas transforms directly into a solid without becoming a liquid first.