In the context of phase changes and the model you described, the correct relationship is:
Atoms lose energy as a gas changes to a solid.
This is known as the process of condensation followed by freezing. In a gas state, atoms are spaced far apart and move freely, indicating they have high energy. As the gas cools, the atoms lose energy, which allows them to come closer together and transition into a liquid state. If further cooling occurs, the atoms lose even more energy, allowing them to arrange into a solid structure. Thus, the transition from gas to solid involves a loss of energy.