Give a reasonable explanation why segments 2 and 4 are not associated with temperature increases even though heat is added a constant rate.

D) The heat energy is used to increase the distances between molecules.

Explanation:

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For the temperature to go down, the average kinetic energy must decrease which means that the kinetic energy of the gas molecules must decrease. Since energy is neither created nor destroyed, and energy is not "lost" due to gas molecule collisions (they are elastic), then the KE must be transferred to the molecules of some other substance at a lower temperature.