Question

What is the best explanation of the kinetic molecular theory as it relates to the energy of the molecules in the states of matter?

Answer 1

Kinetic energy cannot be created nor destroyed, and, as a result, all states of matter have the same kinetic energy.

The molecules in a gas have greater kinetic energy; therefore, they are more tightly packed than the molecules in either a liquid or a solid.

The molecules in a gas have greater kinetic energy than those in a liquid, which in turn has greater kinetic energy than a solid.

The molecules in gases and liquids are in constant motion and have greater kinetic energy than those in a solid. In the solid, the molecules do not move or vibrate because they are in a fixed position.