What occurs when enough heat is supplied to convert a solid to a liquid state?

When sufficient heat is supplied to convert a solid to a liquid, the correct outcome is that the force of cohesion is overcome. In a solid, particles are held together tightly by intermolecular forces, which create a strong bond and maintain a fixed shape. As heat is applied, the energy causes the particles to vibrate more vigorously. Once the input heat reaches a certain threshold known as the melting point, the energy overcomes the cohesive forces holding the particles in place. This leads to a transition from the solid phase to the liquid phase, allowing the particles to move more freely, resulting in the fluid nature of the liquid.

The other outcomes, while related to thermal processes, do not directly describe this phase change. Sensible heat typically refers to the heat exchanged when a substance changes temperature without changing state, and while temperature does rise until the melting point, it stabilizes during the phase change. Volume issues are variable depending on the material (some materials actually expand upon melting), but that does not define the phase change itself. Hence, the fundamental consequence of providing enough heat in this context is overcoming the cohesive forces that keep a solid intact, facilitating its transformation into a liquid.