Final answer:
The type of physical change that occurs when cooling water is freezing, where water transitions from a liquid to a solid state. Freezing is reversible, and is the opposite of melting. Other reversible physical changes of state are vaporizing and condensing.
Step-by-step explanation:
When cooling water, the type of physical change that will most likely occur is freezing. Freezing is the transition of water from its liquid state to a solid state, which happens when the temperature drops below water's freezing point of 0°C (32°F). During the freezing process, the water molecules lose energy and start to arrange themselves into a fixed, orderly pattern known as a crystal lattice, which is characteristic of a solid.
In the context of the provided options, the correct answer to the student's question is (c) Freezing. It's important to note that freezing is a reversible physical change. If the solid water (ice) were to absorb enough heat, it would revert back to its liquid state through melting, which is the opposite of freezing. Other reversible physical changes include vaporization (liquid to gas), and condensation (gas to liquid).
Regarding the phase changes to a more energetic state, the correct answer is (c) melting and vaporization. These processes involve the addition of energy which helps to overcome the molecular attractions holding the substance together, allowing it to transition into a state with greater molecular motion and energy.