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.

1 answer

The correct response is:

The particles gain both potential and kinetic energy.

As water is heated, its temperature increases, which means the kinetic energy of the particles increases (they move faster). When water boils and turns into steam, the molecules move further apart, which indicates an increase in potential energy as the water changes from a liquid to a gas. Therefore, both forms of energy increase during this process.