What does "phase change" refer to?

"Phase change" refers to the transition between states of matter, which can include changes such as solid to liquid (melting), liquid to gas (vaporization), solid to gas (sublimation), and other transformations. This concept is fundamental in various scientific fields, including chemistry and physics, as it describes how materials can shift from one physical form to another due to changes in temperature or pressure.

Understanding phase changes is crucial in fire investigations, as the state of materials can greatly influence fire behavior and the characteristics of combustion. For example, knowing that a solid can become a gas through vaporization helps investigators analyze the thermal interactions that occur during a fire.

The other options relate to different concepts: irreversible changes pertain to processes that cannot revert back to their original state, fuel consumption relates specifically to the combustion of materials, and the release of heat energy is associated with exothermic reactions rather than the transition of states. Each of these elements plays a role in understanding fire dynamics, but they do not specifically define the term "phase change."