Final answer:
Option D: The boiling point of a substance is the temperature at which it changes from liquid to gas and is indicative of the kinetic energy needed to break the intermolecular forces.
Step-by-step explanation:
The boiling point of a substance indicates the temperature at which the substance transitions from a liquid to a gas. This phase change takes place because the kinetic energy required to overcome the attractive forces between the particles becomes sufficient due to increased temperature. Therefore, the boiling point provides information about the amount of kinetic energy required to break intermolecular forces within a substance. Substances with a higher boiling point have stronger intermolecular forces that need more energy to be overcome. At the boiling point, the vapor pressure of the liquid equals the pressure exerted on the liquid by its surrounding environment. It varies with external pressure, reflecting the substance's intermolecular bonds strength.
For example, water has a boiling point of 100°C at 1.00 atm, which changes with pressure. A higher pressure increases the boiling point, and a lower pressure decreases it. This is crucial because it illustrates how the boiling point can reflect the strength of intermolecular forces and the effect of external pressure on a substance's phase transition.