International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) Chemistry Practice Exam

What happens to particles during the condensation process?

1. Particles gain energy and move apart

2. Particles lose energy and come closer together

3. Particles remain unchanged

4. Particles break apart entirely

The correct answer is: Particles lose energy and come closer together

During the condensation process, particles lose energy and come closer together. This phase change occurs when a gas turns into a liquid, which typically happens when the gas is cooled or when the pressure on the gas increases. As the temperature decreases, the kinetic energy of the gas particles diminishes, leading to a reduction in their movement. When gas particles lose energy, they are less able to overcome the attractive forces between them, which allows them to come together and form a liquid. This transition is characterized by the particles being in a more ordered arrangement compared to their gaseous state, where they are far from each other and in constant, rapid motion. Understanding this process is crucial in the study of states of matter and the energy changes associated with phase transitions.