Can all substances be in all 3 states of matter? If you heat up metal, it will melt, but is there a point where you heat it enough that it will become a gas? Same goes for every substance on earth

Question

Basically the title. I know water can be solid, liquid, and gas, but does that apply to everything or just water?

In: Chemistry

Answer 1

As people have said, some molecules (groups of atoms stuck together) will break apart from heat before melting or boiling

But for pure elements (all the atoms of the periodic table), yes! All the metals have boiling points not just melting points. If you heat them past melting they will boil and become gases exactly like how water does. Even things like carbon have a boiling point, it’s just very hot.

You can look up boiling point tables if you’re curious. Some metals need 1000s of degrees, others surprisingly little. The metals that are liquid at ~room temp (gallium and mercury have low melting point) also have low boiling points! As a result mercury liquid is always giving off vapour which is why its such a health hazard. The liquid on your skin is fine, breathing it isn’t.