Answer:1 In a solid (ice), water molecules are closely packed together in a fixed, orderly pattern and vibrate in place.When the ice melts, the molecules gain energy, move faster, and break free from the fixed pattern, allowing them to slide past each other. This makes the water liquid, where the particles are still close together but can move more freely.2The surrounding temperature provides the heat energy needed for the ice molecules to break their bonds and change state.If the surrounding temperature is higher than 0°C, the ice absorbs heat and melts.If the temperature is below freezing, the ice will not melt because there is not enough heat energy to cause the phase change.3Tom might have observed that when the ice cube melts, the water spreads out and flows to take the shape of its container, unlike the solid cube that keeps its shape.This shows that the particles in the liquid can move around each other easily, while the solid’s particles are locked in place.4Melting ice cubes show a phase transition from solid to liquid.This happens because the ice absorbs heat energy, which causes its molecules to move faster and break the bonds holding them in a fixed position.It illustrates how adding energy can change matter from one state to another — showing the direct link between energy and changes in the state of matter.