What does melting represent in terms of physical states?

Melting is defined as the process where a solid substance absorbs heat and transitions into a liquid state. This process occurs when the temperature of the solid reaches its melting point, causing the ordered arrangement of molecules in the solid to break apart and flow freely in the liquid state. The key aspect of melting is that it involves a physical change; the chemical composition of the substance does not change during this process. The materials retain their chemical identity whether they are in the solid form or the liquid form. This understanding differentiates melting from chemical changes, where the substances involved would undergo a transformation into different materials with new chemical properties.