What does potential energy have to do with phase changes? I know as temperature increases kinetic increases?

Answer 1

When you melt ice for example, you have to add heat. But the temperature stays constant until all of the ice is melted. The heat energy goes into the molecular bonds as potential energy. The solid particle become liquids and this is an increase in the potentialenergy. After the melting, the temp. goes up and this is a change in kinetic energy

Answer 2

Low potential Energy=>High Potential Energy

Solid=>Liquid=>Gas

Solids have low potential energies and gases have high potential energies.

The higher the potential energy, the greater the kinetic energy. Greater Kinetic energy causes molecules of a substance to move more loosely and rapidly (i.e. Gases).