by strong intermolecular forces, limiting their movement to small vibrations in fixed positions. Gases, on the other hand, consist of widely spaced, freely moving particles with only weak intermolecular forces.

As temperature increases, the molecules in a liquid vibrate more intensely, causing the distances between them to increase. At the boiling point, the cohesive forces between the molecules are no longer sufficient to keep them together, and the liquid transitions into a gaseous state. Conversely,