Key concepts
Temperature tracks average particle motion. At the melting point, added energy mainly weakens the solid structure; this latent heat changes state without a large temperature rise. After all material is liquid, temperature rises again.
The particles and times are educationally scaled. Material melting points, specific heat capacities, and latent heats use representative values.
Explore further
Questions: Where does energy go during the plateau? Why does chocolate soften over a range? Which material needs most energy per gram?
Applications: ice cooling drinks, casting metals, candle wax, food tempering, and thermal energy storage.
Misconceptions: Melting does not break molecules into atoms; it loosens their collective arrangement. Temperature is not the same as total thermal energy.