Question

The table shows the temperature ranges of the three phases of water.

Form of Water Phase Temperature Range
ice solid 0°C and below
water liquid above 0°C but below 100°C
water vapor gas 100°C and above

Which model represents a phase change in which the kinetic energy of water molecules decreases?
Responses

Answers

GPT-4o mini
A phase change in which the kinetic energy of water molecules decreases occurs when water transitions from a gas to a liquid (condensation) or from a liquid to a solid (freezing).

In terms of the temperature ranges you provided:

- **Condensation**: When water vapor (gas) cools down to form liquid water, the kinetic energy of the water molecules decreases as they lose heat and come closer together.

- **Freezing**: When liquid water (above 0°C) cools down to form ice (solid), the kinetic energy decreases further as the molecules slow down and arrange into a solid structure.

Therefore, both condensation and freezing represent phase changes where the kinetic energy of water molecules decreases. If you need to select one specific model, the transition from water vapor to liquid water (condensation) is a common example.