become molten

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "become molten" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when describing a material that changes from solid to liquid due to heat. For example, "The metal will become molten when heated to a high temperature." Alternative expressions include "turn into liquid" and "melt down."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

But to become molten lava, to contain a furnace?

The New Yorker

With the application of heat, however, these materials will soften and eventually become molten, as the molecules, which are not cross-linked by covalent bonds, overcome the intermolecular forces and flow past one another.

Encyclopedia Britannica

If there were inadequate cooling during a reactor accident, a significant amount of core material could become molten and relocate to the lower head of the reactor vessel, as happened in the Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) accident.

Nuclear Engineering and Design

If cooling is inadequate during a reactor accident, a significant amount of core material could become molten and relocate to the lower head of the reactor vessel, as happened in the Three Mile Island Unit 2 accident.

Nuclear Engineering and Design

The easiest way for computer modelers to explain the physics of the Earth-moon system, such as how fast our planet spins on its axis and how fast the moon orbits Earth, is to have Theia giving Earth a glancing blow strong enough for both bodies to become molten.

Los Angeles Times

Brazing works by capillary action, and as such even heat must be applied to the area surrounding the joint to allow brazing alloy to become molten and be drawn into the joint itself.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

The polymer reaches its melting temperature (Tm in the phase diagram) and becomes molten (progressing along the line from c to d).

Encyclopedia Britannica

The effect of in-core instrumentation (ICI) mounting location on the application of in-vessel corium retention through external reactor vessel cooling (IVR-ERVC), used to mitigate severe accidents in which the nuclear fuel inside the reactor vessel becomes molten, was investigated.

Annals of Nuclear Energy

Iranian society has become like molten rock under high pressure: more eruptions are inevitable.

The New York Times

Based on electrical conductivity data, the basis of these transitions was assigned to increased metal and carboxylate ion mobility as the compounds become increasingly molten with increased temperature [115].

Applied Petrochemical Research

Smelting is a process that liberates the metallic element from its compound as an impure molten metal and separates it from the waste rock part of the charge, which becomes a molten slag.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "become molten" when describing a substance transitioning to a liquid state due to high temperature or intense heat. It's particularly appropriate when describing metals, rocks, or other materials undergoing this process.

Common error

Avoid using "become molten" in metaphorical contexts where the literal meaning doesn't apply. While figurative language can be effective, using this phrase outside of its intended scientific or descriptive application can lead to confusion or misinterpretation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "become molten" functions as a verb phrase, indicating a process of transformation. It describes the action of a substance changing into a liquid state due to heat. As Ludwig AI shows, this is often used in scientific or descriptive contexts.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

40%

Encyclopedias

20%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "become molten" is a verb phrase that describes the transformation of a substance into a liquid state due to heat. While grammatically correct and understood, as Ludwig AI confirms, its usage is relatively rare and primarily confined to scientific, technical, and descriptive contexts. Authoritative sources like Encyclopedia Britannica and The New York Times occasionally employ the phrase, often in discussions of materials science, geology, or industrial processes. When seeking alternative expressions, consider options like "melt into liquid" or "turn to liquid" for similar but potentially broader applications.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

melt into liquid

Focuses on the transformation process into a liquid state through melting.

liquefy completely

Emphasizes the completeness of the transformation into a liquid.

fuse into liquid

Highlights the joining or blending aspect of melting into a liquid.

dissolve into fluid

Suggests a more gradual transformation where the substance breaks down into a fluid.

turn to liquid

A more general way of saying something becomes liquid, regardless of the cause.

go into solution

Indicates the substance has mixed completely with a solvent to form a liquid solution.

change to liquid state

A formal and technical way to describe the phase transition to a liquid.

undergo liquefaction

A technical term describing the process of becoming liquid, often used in scientific contexts.

be reduced to liquid

Implies an external force or process causes the transformation into a liquid.

convert to fluid form

Similar to "turn to liquid", this emphasizes the change in physical form.

FAQs

How can I use "become molten" in a sentence?

You can use "become molten" to describe the physical change of a substance into a liquid state due to heat, such as: "The metal will "become molten" when heated in the furnace".

What's a synonym for "become molten"?

Alternatives to "become molten" include "melt into liquid", "liquefy completely", or "turn to liquid", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "become molten" formal or informal?

"Become molten" is generally considered neutral to formal, suitable for scientific, technical, or descriptive writing. It's less common in casual conversation.

What substances are likely to "become molten"?

Materials that can "become molten" include metals, rocks (magma), glass, and certain plastics. The specific temperature required varies depending on the substance's composition.