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

(1 point)
Responses

The gallium atoms will increase in temperature.
The gallium atoms will increase in temperature.

The gallium atoms will be moving faster on average.
The gallium atoms will be moving faster on average.

The gallium atoms will gain potential energy, moving freely from each other.
The gallium atoms will gain potential energy, moving freely from each other.

The gallium atoms will gain kinetic energy.

1 answer

All of the given responses describe changes that occur at the microscopic level when gallium melts in a person's hand. However, the most accurate response to focus on regarding the process of melting is:

The gallium atoms will gain kinetic energy.

When gallium melts, the temperature increases, which raises the kinetic energy of the atoms, causing them to move more freely and transition from a solid to a liquid state. While the gallium atoms also increase in temperature and their average movement speeds up, the key change during melting is the increase in kinetic energy.