imagine you are heating a piece of ice continuously, but the temperature does not increase. based on your…
imagine you are heating a piece of ice continuously, but the temperature does not increase. based on your understanding of thermal energy and kinetic energy, explain what is happening at the molecular level. why isnt the temperature changing, and what effect is the added thermal energy having on the ice? use scientific reasoning to support your answer. (2 points)
Answer
Brief Explanations:
Temperature is related to the average kinetic energy of molecules. When ice is heated without a temperature increase, it's in a phase - change process (melting). The added thermal energy is used to break the intermolecular forces (hydrogen bonds in water) that hold the ice in a solid lattice structure, rather than increasing the kinetic energy of the molecules. Once all the intermolecular forces are broken and the ice has completely melted, further heating will increase the temperature.
Answer:
The added thermal energy is used to break the intermolecular forces in ice during the melting phase - change process, so the temperature doesn't change as the energy isn't going into increasing molecular kinetic energy at this stage.