Difficulty: Medium

Average Score: 58%

Benzene is a liquid at room temperature but solidifies at 5.5Â°C.

What happens when benzene solidifies?

Rationale

Liquid benzene releases energy into the surroundings.

When benzene transitions from a liquid to a solid state, it must release energy, typically in the form of heat, to the surrounding environment. This process, known as freezing or solidification, occurs as the molecules lose kinetic energy and arrange themselves into a more ordered solid structure.

A (Liquid benzene releases energy into the surroundings.) CORRECT

This statement accurately describes the process of solidification. As benzene cools down and reaches its freezing point of 5.5°C, it releases energy to the environment, allowing its molecules to slow down and form a solid structure. This exothermic reaction is a fundamental characteristic of phase changes.

B (Solid benzene absorbs energy from liquid benzene.) YOUR ANSWER

This choice is incorrect because, during the freezing process, solid benzene does not absorb energy from the liquid; rather, it is the liquid that releases energy to facilitate the transition to a solid state. The absorption of energy by solid benzene would instead promote melting rather than solidifying.

C (Solid benzene releases energy into liquid benzene.) YOUR ANSWER

While solid benzene does release energy, it does so into the surroundings, not specifically into the liquid benzene. This choice misrepresents the energy transfer taking place during the solidification process, which primarily involves energy loss to the external environment rather than a transfer to the liquid phase.

D (Liquid benzene absorbs energy from the surroundings.) YOUR ANSWER

This option contradicts the process of solidification. While it is true that liquid benzene can absorb energy when it is heating up or melting, during solidification, it is actually releasing energy. This absorption does not occur during the transition to a solid state.

Conclusion

The process of benzene solidifying involves the release of energy from the liquid to the surroundings, which is essential for the formation of the solid structure. Understanding this energy exchange is crucial in thermodynamics, as it underlines the principles of phase changes and the behavior of substances as they transition between states.

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