As water becomes warmer, boils and then becomes water vapor(steam), what happens to its kinetic and potential energies?

Answer 1

As water is heated and transitions from a liquid state to a vapor state (steam), both its kinetic and potential energies are affected.

1. Kinetic Energy: The kinetic energy of the water molecules increases as the temperature rises. Kinetic energy is related to the speed of the particles; as water heats up, the molecules move faster. This increase in molecular motion contributes to a rise in temperature.

2. Potential Energy: During the phase change from liquid to gas (i.e., boiling), the potential energy of the water molecules also increases. In a liquid state, the molecules are relatively close together, and they experience intermolecular forces that hold them in place. As water boils and transitions into steam, these molecules must overcome these forces to separate from one another. The energy required to break these intermolecular bonds is absorbed as heat, and this energy increases the potential energy of the system.

In summary, as water is heated and transforms into steam, the kinetic energy increases due to higher molecular motion, while the potential energy also increases as the molecules overcome intermolecular forces during the phase change.