Final answer:
The dissolution of lithium iodide is endothermic because energy is required to overcome the intermolecular interactions in the solvent and the solute.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of dissolving lithium iodide is endothermic. This means that energy is required to overcome the intermolecular interactions in both the solvent and the solute. In the case of lithium iodide, the lattice energy, which is the energy required to overcome the forces holding the ions together in the solid lattice, must be overcome. This process absorbs heat from the surroundings, making it endothermic.