What occurs during a phase transition?

During a phase transition, energy is exchanged without a temperature change, which is characteristic of processes such as melting, freezing, boiling, and condensing.

In specific phase transitions, like melting or boiling, energy in the form of heat is added or removed from the substance, which allows the change between solid, liquid, or gas states to occur. For example, when ice melts into water, heat is absorbed, yet the temperature remains constant until the entire solid has converted to liquid. This phenomenon demonstrates that while the state of matter is transitioning, the temperature does not change during the process itself.

This principle holds true for various phase changes involving different states of matter, not altering temperature until the phase is fully transformed. Other options do not accurately reflect the fundamentals of how energy and temperature interact during phase changes.