What happens to a material when it reaches its boiling point?

When a material reaches its boiling point, it undergoes a phase transition from a liquid to a gas. At this temperature, the liquid molecules gain enough energy to overcome the intermolecular forces holding them together, allowing them to move freely and escape into the air as vapor. This process is known as evaporation, which happens throughout the liquid but is particularly noticeable at the boiling point when the entire body of the liquid starts to transition rapidly into gas.

This phenomenon is not simply about the molecules moving faster; it is a complete change in state, allowing the material to turn into gas, which is observable as bubbling or steaming. The boiling point itself is characteristic of the material and can vary based on factors like pressure. Thus, the correct description of what occurs at boiling point is that the material evaporates into gas.