Etymology

chain-melted state

Today it means: A state of matter, similar to phase transition states between liquid and solid, that is both liquid and solid. The phase is found in some matter which can exist in crystalline states, where portions are melted liquid while other portions are frozen solid crystal, in a distinct manner. Full definition →

Ask AI about its historyChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

The story

From chain + melt + state (“phase of matter”). From being discovered in high-pressure crystalline potassium, where the crystal lattice in its completely frozen state contains chain elements and lattice elements, and which in the discovered state has the chain elements become liquid, flowing through the lattice.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.