SCIENCE:
THE GALLIUM IN THE IMAGE IS MELTING IN THE PERSON'S HAND. WHICH CHANGES WILL OCCUR ON A MICROSCOPIC LEVEL?
1. THE GALLIUM ATOMS WILL INCREASE IN TEMPERATURE.
2. THE GALLIUM ATOMS WILL BE MOVING FASTER ON AVERAGE.
3. THE GALLIUM ATOMS WILL GAIN KINETIC ENERGY.
4. THE GALLIUM ATOMS WILL GAIN POTENTIAL ENERGY, MOVING FREELY FROM EACH OTHER.
All of the options listed are correct and will occur on a microscopic level when gallium melts in a person's hand.
1. The gallium atoms will increase in temperature: As heat is transferred from the person's hand to the gallium, the average kinetic energy of the gallium atoms will increase, resulting in an increase in temperature.
2. The gallium atoms will be moving faster on average: With the absorption of heat energy, the average velocity of the gallium atoms will increase, causing them to move faster.
3. The gallium atoms will gain kinetic energy: The increase in temperature and velocity of the gallium atoms indicates an increase in their kinetic energy, which is the energy associated with their motion.
4. The gallium atoms will gain potential energy, moving freely from each other: As the temperature rises and the gallium transitions from a solid to a liquid state, the attractive forces between the gallium atoms become weaker. This allows the gallium atoms to move more freely from each other, resulting in an increase in potential energy.