As water is heated and transitions from liquid to gas (steam), the correct response is: The particles gain both potential and kinetic energy.
Here's why:
- Kinetic Energy: As the water warms up, the temperature increases, which means the average kinetic energy of the water molecules also increases. This is because the molecules move faster at higher temperatures.
- Potential Energy: When the water reaches its boiling point and begins to change from liquid to gas, energy is absorbed in the form of heat (latent heat of vaporization) to overcome the intermolecular forces holding the water molecules together in the liquid state. This energy increases the potential energy of the molecules as they move apart from one another.
Therefore, both kinetic and potential energies increase during the boiling process.