Why solids soften

Screen 3/10

1. READ/play the text
2. CLICK the picture (and video)
3. TRY this:

Q1: What causes many substances to soften?

[Answer]

There are two kinds of materials: those made from just one substance, such as water, and those made of a mixture of substances, such as butter.

Mixtures often go soft as they're heated rather than melt suddenly. This is because each one of the substances in the mixture melts at a different temperature, so some may melt while others stay solid. It melts properly only when all of the parts of the mixture melt.