what happens to some metals when the kinetic energy of their particles is decreased?

they expand
they conduct
they melt
they contract

1 answer

When the kinetic energy of the particles in a metal decreases, the metal typically contracts. As the temperature of the metal drops, the motion of its particles slows down, leading to a decrease in the distance between them. This contraction is a common behavior of most materials as they cool, and it is due to the reduction of kinetic energy in the particles that make up the metal.