Final answer:
At a low temperature, a liquid becomes a solid due to insufficient kinetic energy to overcome intermolecular attractions. The molecules become slower and are pulled together by intermolecular forces, resulting in a solid state.
Step-by-step explanation:
At a sufficiently low temperature, a liquid does not have enough kinetic energy to overcome intermolecular attractions, and changes into a solid. This process is known as freezing or solidification. When the temperature of a liquid decreases, the molecules lose kinetic energy and move slower, allowing the intermolecular forces to pull the molecules closer together, which results in a solid state. This occurs when the liquid's molecules no longer have enough kinetic energy (KE) to overcome the intermolecular forces (IMF) between them.
If a substance has relatively strong intermolecular forces, a high melting point, and is not easily compressed, this substance will be a solid at room temperature. This is because the strong intermolecular forces hold the particles tightly together, creating a defined structure that is characteristic of solids.