When a liquid is heated, which of the following is most likely to occur?

• A. The liquid's molecules lose kinetic energy and freeze.
• B. The liquid's temperature decreases and it condenses.
• C. The liquid immediately decomposes into its constituent elements.
• D. The liquid's molecules gain kinetic energy and may eventually vaporize.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the relationship between temperature, kinetic energy, and phase changes in liquids. When a liquid is heated, its molecules gain kinetic energy, which means they move faster.
2. Recall that increasing the kinetic energy of molecules in a liquid raises its temperature until it reaches the boiling point, where the liquid can change phase to a gas (vaporize).
3. Recognize that losing kinetic energy and freezing is the opposite process, which occurs when a liquid is cooled, not heated.
4. Know that condensation and temperature decrease happen when a gas loses energy and becomes a liquid, which is also the reverse of heating a liquid.
5. Understand that immediate decomposition into constituent elements is a chemical change that requires specific conditions and is not a typical result of simply heating a liquid.