Boiling Point: The state achieved when a liquid is heated until the heat energy is no longer used to increase temperature but instead to form gas from the liquid. Formally, the boiling point temperature is reached when a liquid's vapour pressure equals external pressure. Boiling points thus decrease with altitude. Water may be boiled at room temperature by decreasing the pressure around it.

Melting Point: The temperature at which a solid becomes liquid. If heat is applied to a solid, its temperature rises until the melting point is reached, when heat energy is then absorbed to form liquid from the solid is then absorbed to form liquid from the solid. Temperature continues to rise once the melting is complete.