During the boiling process, what occurs to the particles of a liquid?

During the boiling process, the particles of a liquid gain energy and move faster. This increase in energy is primarily due to the heat applied to the liquid, which causes the particles to vibrate rapidly. As they gain kinetic energy, they overcome the attractive forces that hold them together in the liquid state, allowing them to break free from the surface and transition into the gaseous state.

This process is crucial because it demonstrates how temperature and energy affect the state of a substance. At the boiling point, the energy input is sufficient for the particles to escape the liquid and become vapor. The continued input of heat ensures that more and more particles gain enough energy to transition to the gas phase, resulting in the liquid boiling until it is completely converted into vapor.

The other choices outline processes that do not accurately represent what happens during boiling. For instance, losing energy and settling refers more to processes like freezing, while moving slower and condensing implies a transition from gas to liquid rather than liquid to gas. Breaking down into solid particles doesn’t occur during boiling; instead, it suggests a different physical change altogether. Understanding the correct option helps in grasping the fundamental concepts of states of matter and the energy changes involved in phase transitions.