The gallium in the image is melting in a person's hand. Which changes will occur on a microscopic level? Select one answer

Question

the gallium atoms will be moving faster on average
the gallium atoms will gain kinetic energy
the gallium atoms will increase in temperature
the gallium atoms will gain potential energy, moving freely from each other

Answer 1

When gallium is melting in a person's hand, the correct answer is:

the gallium atoms will gain kinetic energy.

As the gallium transitions from a solid to a liquid, the heat from the person's hand increases the kinetic energy of the gallium atoms, causing them to move more freely, which is characteristic of a liquid state. While it is closely related, stating that they gain potential energy is less accurate in this context, as the change from solid to liquid mainly involves an increase in kinetic energy of the atoms.