It is common knowledge that at atmospheric pressure water is liquid in the 0-100 ℃ range; below that range it turns into solid ice while above it, it turns into gaseous steam. However, it is "not-so-common-knowledge", that the previous statement is false; water at atmospheric pressure can stay liquid outside of the 0-100 ℃ range. Below zero, it can be undercooled liquid, above 100 ℃ it can be overheated liquid. In both conditions, the liquid state will be metastable, i.e. it might turn - even spontaneously - into the corresponding stable phase by freezing or by vapourization (cavitation) [1,2]. This introductory paper and the following chapter deals with liquid water (and aqueous solutions) metastable for the liquid-vapour phase transition as well as with the corresponding relaxation process, known as cavitation.
展开▼
