Question

What does a decrease in temperature indicate about the molecules in a sample of liquid water?

Decreased chemical energy of the molecules
Decreased kinetic energy of the molecules
Increased chemical energy of the molecules
Increased kinetic energy of the molecules

Answer is Decreased kinetic energy of the molecules

Answer 1

Decreased kinetic energy of the molecules.

Step-by-step explanation:

The kinetic energy is the energy of movement.

The energy is associated with the speed of a molecule.

If we increase the temperature the speed of a molecule increases, increasing the kinetic energy of the molecule.

Thus

Kinetic energy is directly proportional to the temperature.

So if we decrease the temperature it will decrease the kinetic energy of the molecules.

Answer 2

A decrease in temperature indicates decreased kinetic energy of the molecules.

KE ∝ T, so a decrease in temperature means a decrease in kinetic energy.