Which physical change occurs during freezing?

The physical change that occurs during freezing is the transformation from liquid to solid. This process happens when a liquid loses energy, typically due to a decrease in temperature. As the temperature drops, the molecules in the liquid move slower and begin to form organized structures, which we observe as a solid.

In contrast, the other options describe different phase transitions: converting a gas to a liquid is called condensation; turning a solid into a liquid is termed melting; and changing a liquid to a gas is referred to as evaporation. Each of these processes involves distinct energy changes and molecular motions that are characteristic of their respective transitions.