“Absolute Zero” by Celia Berrell

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Molecules and atoms all

vibrate to Thermo’s beat.

Their energy’s identified

by measuring the heat.

 

Like line-dancers they stay in form

and keep their solid state

when Thermo’s music’s playing cool

and doesn’t change its rate.

 

By turning up the temperature

they break-dance out of line

and move about as liquid to

our Thermo’s up-beat time.

 

And when it’s hot they leap about

like maniacs with jazz,

escaping from their dance floor as

they change into a gas.

 

The winter in New Zealand can

be beautiful with snow,

a solid state of water which

is icy H2O.

 

And as the sunshine heats it up

its molecules go hip

and melt into a liquid that’s

in puddles, pools and drips.

 

Now pour some water in a pan

and heat it on a stove.

You’ll see the bubbles forming

then escaping in their droves.

 

We know that’s steam or vapour

that is wafting from the pot.

You’ve witnessed water’s three-phased states

from freezing, warm and hot.

 

When solids change to liquid form

it’s called their melting point.

That temperature is different

for different elements.

 

Hot volcano temperatures

can melt Earth’s crusty rock

while Nitrogen on Triton’s only

found as gas or frost.

 

Elements and compounds can

exist in different phases,

solid, liquid or as gas.

It varies as heat changes.

 

And out in space those temperatures

can really be extreme

from freezing void to hottest sun

and all that’s in between.

 

But even in our universe

the coolest it can go

is measured as one Kelvin,

never Absolute Zero.

 

This name describes the temperature

where atoms fail to move.

If Thermo turned their music off

they couldn’t even groove!

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