Astudent blows up a balloon and then places it in a very cold freezer. after a few hours, the balloon has shrunk. which of the following best explains why the balloon shrunk. (2 points) as the balloon gets cooler, the molecules gain energy and move closer together, causing the balloon to shrink. as the balloon gets cooler, the molecules lose energy and move closer together causing the balloon to shrink. as the balloon gets cooler, the molecules break apart, decreasing the volume of the gas. as the balloon absorbs energy, the molecules move more quickly, making the balloon expand.