Question
A student wants to perform an experiment that will overcome the strong attraction between molecules in a liquid. Which will most likely accomplish this feat? Increasing the temperature of the system. Increasing the pressure on the system. Decreasing the temperature of the system. Decreasing the volume of the system
Answers
GPT-4o mini
To overcome the strong attraction between molecules in a liquid, increasing the temperature of the system is the most likely option to achieve this.
When the temperature is increased, the kinetic energy of the molecules also increases, causing them to move more rapidly. This increased motion helps to overcome the intermolecular forces that hold the molecules together in a liquid state, potentially leading to a phase transition to a gas, where these attractions are minimal or nonexistent.
On the other hand, increasing pressure or decreasing volume typically compresses the liquid and would not help to overcome intermolecular attractions. Decreasing the temperature would lower molecular kinetic energy, reinforcing the attractions between molecules rather than overcoming them.
Therefore, the best choice is **increasing the temperature of the system**.
When the temperature is increased, the kinetic energy of the molecules also increases, causing them to move more rapidly. This increased motion helps to overcome the intermolecular forces that hold the molecules together in a liquid state, potentially leading to a phase transition to a gas, where these attractions are minimal or nonexistent.
On the other hand, increasing pressure or decreasing volume typically compresses the liquid and would not help to overcome intermolecular attractions. Decreasing the temperature would lower molecular kinetic energy, reinforcing the attractions between molecules rather than overcoming them.
Therefore, the best choice is **increasing the temperature of the system**.