When a substance condenses, what happens to its particles?

• A. The particles break apart into individual atoms.
• B. The particles gain energy and form a gas.
• C. The particles move closer together and their movement slows down.
• D. The particles move farther apart and their movement speeds up.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the process of condensation: it is the phase change from a gas to a liquid.
2. Recall that in a gas, particles are far apart and move rapidly with high kinetic energy.
3. During condensation, particles lose energy, which causes them to slow down.
4. As the particles slow down, they come closer together because the attractive forces between them become more significant.
5. Therefore, the particles move closer together and their movement slows down during condensation.