Which of the following statements correctly describes the change which occurs when a liquid vaporizes at its boiling point at a given external pressure.
a) The entropy decreases
b) The temp increases
c) The kinetic energy increases
d) The potential energy increases
I can't eliminate any answers at all, thanks in advance.
The entropy is greater in steam than in liquid so a is gone.
The temperature stays constant at the boiling point when liquid is vaporized so b is gone.
So it is c because the molecules move faster in gas. Thank you!
When a liquid vaporizes at its boiling point at a given external pressure, the correct statement among the options provided is:
c) The kinetic energy increases.
During vaporization, the liquid molecules gain enough energy to overcome the attractive forces between them and transition into the gas phase. This increase in energy leads to an increase in the kinetic energy of the particles, as they move more rapidly in the gas state compared to the liquid state.
To determine the correct answer, we will analyze the process of vaporization. Vaporization is the phase transition from a liquid to a gas, which occurs when the molecules in the liquid gain enough energy to overcome the forces holding them together.
Let's examine each statement:
a) The entropy decreases: Vaporization is an endothermic process that involves an increase in disorder or randomness as a liquid changes into gas. Therefore, the entropy increases during vaporization, not decreases. We can eliminate this option.
b) The temperature increases: When a liquid vaporizes at its boiling point, the temperature remains constant until all the liquid has converted into vapor. This is because the heat energy is being used to break the intermolecular forces, rather than increasing the temperature. Therefore, we can eliminate this option.
c) The kinetic energy increases: As a liquid vaporizes, the molecules gain sufficient energy to break their intermolecular bonds and enter the gaseous phase. This increase in energy corresponds to an increase in kinetic energy. Therefore, this option correctly describes the change that occurs during vaporization.
d) The potential energy increases: Vaporization involves a transformation from the liquid phase to the gas phase, which does not entail a significant change in potential energy. Therefore, we can eliminate this option.
By analyzing the options, we can conclude that the correct statement is:
c) The kinetic energy increases