When water changes phase, it gains or loses energy. During which of the following types of phase changes do the particles of water gain energy?
During phase changes from solid to liquid (melting), liquid to gas (evaporation), and solid to gas (sublimation), the particles of water gain energy.
The particles of water gain energy during phase changes from a lower energy phase to a higher energy phase. This includes changes such as solid to liquid (melting) and liquid to gas (evaporation). During these phase transitions, energy is absorbed by the water molecules, increasing their kinetic energy and causing them to break free from their current arrangement or state.
During the phase changes from solid to liquid (melting) and from liquid to gas (vaporization), the particles of water gain energy.
To understand why, we need to consider the concept of energy and the behavior of water molecules.
In a solid state, water molecules are closely packed and have a fixed position, vibrating in place due to thermal energy. When energy is added to the system by heating, the molecules gain kinetic energy and start to move more vigorously. As a result, the force of attraction between the water molecules weakens, causing the solid ice to melt and become a liquid.
During this phase change, the temperature of the system remains constant until all the ice has melted. The added energy is used to overcome the attractive forces between the molecules, breaking the solid lattice structure.
Similarly, when water is heated further, the liquid water molecules gain more kinetic energy and move more quickly. If enough heat is added, the increased energy overcomes the forces of attraction between the liquid water molecules, causing them to escape into the gas phase. This phase change is known as vaporization and can occur in two forms: boiling, which happens at a specific temperature throughout the liquid, and evaporation, which occurs at the surface of a liquid at any temperature.
In summary, during the phase changes from solid to liquid and from liquid to gas, the particles of water gain energy as they transition to more energetic states.