When water ice is melting, the correct statement is:
the particles gain kinetic energy.
As ice (solid water) melts, the temperature of the ice remains constant during the phase transition, but the heat energy absorbed by the ice increases the kinetic energy of the water molecules. This increase in kinetic energy allows the molecules to move more freely, leading to the melting of ice into liquid water. Additionally, while the potential energy does increase as the molecules move further apart, the primary change during the melting process is the gain in kinetic energy.
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