The diagram below shows a substance undergoing a phase change. The substance is changing from a solid to a liquid.

Question

Which of the following is true?
A.
The particles in the liquid are fixed and unable to move at all.
B.
The particles in the liquid are moving faster than they were in the solid.
C.
The particles in the liquid are moving slower than they were in the solid.
D.
The particles in the liquid are moving at the same speed that they were moving in the solid.

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

B. The particles in the liquid are moving faster than they were in the solid.

During a phase change from solid to liquid (melting), the particles gain energy and begin to move more freely compared to their fixed positions in the solid state. This increased energy results in faster movement of the particles in the liquid compared to their movement in the solid.