Chemistry

Question Analysis
This question involves the relationship between temperature, kinetic energy, and phase changes in liquids. The main focus is on understanding how kinetic energy changes during the freezing process.

Key Concept Explanation
Average kinetic energy is directly proportional to the absolute temperature of a substance.
When a liquid is cooled:
Kinetic energy decreases as temperature drops.
At the freezing point, further energy loss stops decreasing temperature (energy is released as latent heat) and instead reduces particle movement.
Particles lose enough kinetic energy to stop sliding past each other and become locked in a fixed vibrational position, forming a solid.

Step-by-Step Solution
1. Eliminate Option A (It increases drastically)—cooling reduces temperature and thus kinetic energy.
2. Select Option B (It decreases to the point where particles can no longer slide past each other)—this matches the kinetic energy change that triggers freezing.
3. Eliminate Option C (It remains constant)—kinetic energy decreases until t...