Question

when thermal energy is removed from particles what action occurs

Answer 1

When thermal energy is removed from particles, the particles lose kinetic energy, which generally leads to a decrease in their motion. This process typically results in several observable actions depending on the state of matter of the substance in question:

1. **Temperature Decrease**: As thermal energy is removed, the temperature of the substance decreases because temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles.

2. **Condensation** (for gases): If thermal energy is removed from a gas, it may condense into a liquid if the temperature drops below its boiling point. This happens because the reduced kinetic energy allows the attractive forces between particles to overcome their motion.

3. **Freezing** (for liquids): If thermal energy is removed from a liquid, it can freeze into a solid if the temperature drops below its freezing point. In this case, the particles lose enough energy that they can arrange themselves into a fixed structure.

4. **Solidification**: In solids, while the particles do not have enough energy to move freely, removing thermal energy can lead to a more ordered arrangement or structural changes in some cases.

5. **Volume Changes**: For many substances, removing thermal energy can lead to a decrease in volume because particles come closer together as they lose kinetic energy.

Overall, the removal of thermal energy leads to a transition to a more ordered state and can result in phase changes in the material.