Water boils at 100°C and turns into steam. Which similarities or differences are there between water at 100°C and steam at 100°C?

Question

a. The particles will have more space between them and will be moving at higher speeds as steam.
b. The particles will have more space between them as a liquid, but they will be moving faster as steam.
c. The particles will have more space between them as steam, but they will be moving at the same speed in both states.
d. The particles will have more space between them as a liquid, but they will be moving at the same speed in both states.

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

a. The particles will have more space between them and will be moving at higher speeds as steam.

Explanation:

At 100°C, water exists as both liquid and gas (steam) at this boiling point, but the physical properties of the two states are different. In liquid water, particles are closer together and more structured due to intermolecular forces, while in steam, the particles are much farther apart and have higher average kinetic energy, leading to faster movement. Thus, steam has both more space between the particles and higher speeds compared to liquid water at the same temperature.