As we heat our substance, the molecules move faster and faster. Occasionally some of them acquire a kinetic energy larger than the potential energy barrier and break away. We know that water in contact with melting ice gets colder: the kinetic energy of the water molecules is transferred to the potential energy of those ice molecules that are separating themselves from the ice crystal and moving into the liquid.

At very high temperatures, all the molecules separate from each other.

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SimuLab 12: Intermolecular Forces

SimuLab 13: Kinetic and Potential Engergies of Gas Particles

SimuLab 14 : Kinetic and Potential Energies of Liquid Particles

SimuLab 15: Latent heat and Triple Point