Why is the time needed to vaporize the sample of water significantly greater than the time needed to melt the sample? a) significantly more energy is needed to lower the kinetic energy of the molecules. eliminate b) significantly more energy is needed because ice has a lower kinetic energy than liquid water. c) significantly more energy is required since water vapor (steam) is so much hotter than liquid water. d) significantly more energy is required to vaporize water because the intermolecular forces between molecules are being completely broken.