Thermal Expansion: The Phase You Didn't Take

When a substance reaches its critical temperature, it's like it's having an existential crisis. "What's my purpose in life?" It expands, it contracts, it's a real phase-quake!

Substances are like, "I'll take a solid, no wait, I'll be a gas," and then they're like, "No, no, no, I'm a liquid now, don't you dare try to freeze me!"

It's like the periodic table, but instead of elements, it's like, "I'm a solid, but also kind of liquid, no, wait, I'm a gas, no, no, no, it's all in my head!)

Want to know more about this phase-y business?