The lid of a container containing a gas is removed. As a consequence, the molecules of the gas have more space available to them to spread out. For the gas released from the container, which of the following increases?
A)temperature
B)pressure
C)entropy
D)energy
E)heat

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When the lid of a container containing a gas is removed, the system moves towards a state of maximum disorder or entropy. As the molecules of the gas have more space available to them to spread out, they will move randomly in all directions, increasing the disorder or entropy of the system. The temperature, energy, and heat of the gas may increase or decrease depending on the conditions, but there is no direct cause-and-effect relationship between the removal of the lid and these properties. The pressure of the gas may decrease as it expands, but again, there is no direct cause-and-effect relationship between the removal of the lid and pressure. Therefore, the only option that increases as a consequence of the lid removal is entropy.

The Lid of a Container Containing a Gas Is Removed