Use the image to answer the question.

Question

A photo shows a piece of gallium melting in someone’s hand.

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 gain kinetic energy.
The gallium atoms will gain kinetic energy.

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.
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Answer 1

As gallium melts in the person's hand, the most accurate response about the changes occurring on a microscopic level would be:

The gallium atoms will gain kinetic energy.

This is because as the temperature increases, the kinetic energy of the atoms increases, causing them to move more vigorously, leading to the melting of the solid gallium. While the temperature of the gallium increases and the atoms do move faster on average, the direct cause of the melting is primarily the increase in kinetic energy of the atoms.