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Your little sister, who is constantly hungry, begs you to make macaroni and cheese. As you heat up water on the stove, you think back to science class when you studied the changes in states of matter. Tell your sister what change in state occurs when water boils. Then explain to her why this change happens. (Hint: Think about the movement of the particles.)

User Twalters
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Final answer:

When water boils, it undergoes a change in state from a liquid to a gas. This change is known as vaporization.

Step-by-step explanation:

When water boils, it undergoes a change in state from a liquid to a gas. This change is known as vaporization. It happens because the heat energy from the stove causes the water molecules to gain enough kinetic energy to overcome the attractive forces between them. As a result, the water molecules break free from their fixed positions and start moving around rapidly as a gas.

During boiling, the water molecules gain enough energy to overcome the intermolecular forces holding them together. As a gas, the water molecules have more freedom to move and fill the space of the container.

For example, imagine a room with marbles representing water molecules. In the liquid phase, the marbles are closer together and can move freely but are still held together. When the water boils, the marbles gain enough energy to break free and move around the room more energetically as a gas.

User Merlin
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