The gallium in the image is melting in the person’s hand. Which changes will occur on a microscopic level?
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Responses
The gallium atoms will gain kinetic energy.
The gallium atoms will gain kinetic energy.
The gallium atoms will be moving faster on average.
The gallium atoms will be moving faster on average.
The gallium atoms will gain potential energy, moving freely from each other.
The gallium atoms will gain potential energy, moving freely from each other.
The gallium atoms will increase in temperature.
1 answer
The correct response is:
The gallium atoms will gain kinetic energy.
As gallium melts in the person's hand, the increase in temperature causes the atoms to gain kinetic energy, which leads to an increase in their average speed. This is a key characteristic of the phase transition from solid to liquid. While the atoms do indeed move more freely as they transition from solid to liquid, the primary driving factor during melting is the increase in kinetic energy due to the heat being absorbed.
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