fallow a drop o water through three states of matter. describe what is happening to the molecules as the water turns to gas than describe what is happening to the molecules when the water freezes into ice
Since this is not my area of expertise, I searched Google under the key words "water freeze boil molecules" to get these possible sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_(molecule)
http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/~jw/boiling.html
http://youtube.com/watch?v=8oCjj8iDB9I&feature=related
http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=129053
http://sg.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060801120745AAxnH8b
http://www.aquadyntech.com/watermolecule.html
In the future, you can find the information you desire more quickly, if you use appropriate key words to do your own search.
I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.
To follow a drop of water through the three states of matter (liquid, gas, and solid), we need to understand the behavior of water molecules during each phase transition.
When the water turns into a gas (water vapor):
1. Heat the water: Applying heat to the liquid water increases the temperature, which increases the kinetic energy of the water molecules.
2. Evaporation: As the temperature increases, the water molecules gain enough energy to overcome the intermolecular forces (hydrogen bonds) that hold them together in the liquid state. Some molecules located at the surface gain sufficient energy to escape from the liquid as individual water vapor molecules.
3. Vaporization: When enough heat is applied, more water molecules gain energy to break away from the liquid phase and become gaseous water vapor. The energy allows the molecules to move much faster and spread out in all directions.
During this process, the water molecules transition from being relatively close together in a liquid state to becoming more spread out and independent as a gas. The intermolecular forces are weakened or completely broken, which results in an increase in the average distance between water molecules.
When the water freezes into ice:
1. Cool the water: Decreasing the temperature of the water reduces the kinetic energy of the molecules.
2. Formation of ice crystals: As the temperature continues to decrease, the water molecules lose more energy. At a certain temperature, known as the freezing point (0°C or 32°F), the water molecules slow down significantly, and their kinetic energy decreases below the threshold required to break the hydrogen bonds.
3. Solidification: At this point, the water molecules start arranging themselves in a specific pattern, forming a repeating crystalline structure. The hydrogen bonds between neighboring water molecules become more stable, causing the formation of ice crystals.
In the solid state (ice), the water molecules are held tightly together in a fixed position, and their movement becomes restricted. The intermolecular forces are strengthened, and the water molecules are organized in a regular, lattice-like structure.
In summary, during the transition from liquid to gas, the water molecules gain enough energy to break the intermolecular forces and move freely, while during the transition from liquid to solid, the water molecules lose energy, resulting in the formation of a highly ordered, fixed pattern.