Which type of energy change occurs when gasoline evaporates from a fuel gas can?

• A. Endothermic; energy is absorbed from the surroundings.
• B. Exothermic; energy is released to the surroundings.
• C. No energy change; the process is energy neutral.
• D. Both endothermic and exothermic; energy is both absorbed and released.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the process: Evaporation is the phase change from liquid to gas, which requires molecules to overcome intermolecular forces and move apart.
2. Recall that breaking intermolecular forces requires energy input, meaning energy must be absorbed from the surroundings for evaporation to occur.
3. Identify the type of energy change: Since energy is absorbed during evaporation, the process is endothermic.
4. Contrast with exothermic processes, where energy is released to the surroundings, which does not happen during evaporation.
5. Conclude that the correct description is that evaporation of gasoline is an endothermic process where energy is absorbed from the surroundings.