As water becomes warmer, boils and then becomes water vapor (steam), what happens to its kinetic and potential energies?(1 point)

Responses

The kinetic and potential energies of the particles will stay the same.
The kinetic and potential energies of the particles will stay the same.

The particles will gain potential energy as it heats up, but the kinetic energy of the particles will stay the same.
The particles will gain potential energy as it heats up, but the kinetic energy of the particles will stay the same.

The particles gain kinetic energy as it heats up, but the potential energy of the particles will stay the same.
The particles gain kinetic energy as it heats up, but the potential energy of the particles will stay the same.

The particles gain both potential and kinetic energy.
The particles gain both potential and kinetic energy.

1 answer

The correct response is:

The particles gain both potential and kinetic energy.

As water heats up, the kinetic energy of the particles increases due to higher temperatures, which means the particles move faster. Additionally, as water is heated to its boiling point and turns into steam, the potential energy also increases because the particles are overcoming intermolecular forces to transition from a liquid to a gas. Thus, both kinetic and potential energy increase during this process.