The temperature of a quantity of ideal gas in a sealed container is increased from 0°C to 819°C. What happens to the speed of the molecules with average kinetic energy of the gas as a result of this temperature increase?
A) It does not change since this speed is independent of temperature.
B) It increases but it is less than double the original speed.
C) It doubles.
D) It quadruples.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The average kinetic energy of a gas molecule is directly proportional to the absolute temperature of the gas. Therefore, when the temperature of the gas is increased from 0°C to 819°C, the average kinetic energy of the gas molecules will also increase. Since the average kinetic energy of a gas molecule is proportional to the square of its speed, the speed of the gas molecules will also increase. The speed of the gas molecules will double when the temperature of the gas is increased from 0°C to 819°C.

The Temperature of a Quantity of Ideal Gas in a Sealed