During which change of state would the volume of a substance increase the most?

• A. Liquid to gas (vaporization)
• B. Gas to liquid (condensation)
• C. Solid to gas (sublimation)
• D. Solid to liquid (melting)

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that volume change during a phase transition depends on the difference in density and molecular arrangement between the two states involved.
2. Recall that gases have much lower density and occupy much more volume than liquids or solids because their molecules are far apart and move freely.
3. Compare the volume changes for each phase transition: solid to liquid (melting), liquid to gas (vaporization), solid to gas (sublimation), and gas to liquid (condensation).
4. Recognize that vaporization (liquid to gas) involves a transition from a relatively dense phase (liquid) to a very low-density phase (gas), causing a large increase in volume.
5. Conclude that the largest volume increase occurs during vaporization because the molecules spread out the most compared to other phase changes.