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

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

The gallium atoms will gain kinetic energy.
The gallium atoms will gain kinetic energy.
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Answer 1

In the scenario described, where gallium is melting in a person's hand, the correct response would be:

The gallium atoms will gain kinetic energy.

As the temperature increases, the energy supplied to the gallium atoms allows them to overcome the forces holding them together in the solid state, resulting in a phase change from solid to liquid. This is primarily associated with an increase in kinetic energy as the atoms begin to move more freely.