Answer: Option (a) is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
When water is in liquid state then its molecules are less tightly held together. Due to this the molecules have kinetic energy and they are slightly far away from each other.
But when water freezes then molecules come more closer to each other. So, there occurs decrease in kinetic energy and increase in potential energy. Also during freezing, molecules release excess of energy so that they can come closer to each other.
Thus, we can conclude that energy changes that are associated with a liquid freezing is that energy is released as potential energy increases.