What is the effect of increasing the pressure of a gas at constant volume on its RMS speed?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
What is the effect of increasing the pressure of a gas at constant volume on its RMS speed?
Increases RMS speed
Decreases RMS speed
No effect on RMS speed
Depends on the gas
At constant volume, increasing pressure increases the temperature of the gas, which in turn increases the RMS speed.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
1 item
Q
Q: What is the effect of increasing the pressure of a gas at constant volume on its RMS speed?
Solution: At constant volume, increasing pressure increases the temperature of the gas, which in turn increases the RMS speed.
Steps: 7
Step 1: Understand that RMS speed refers to the root mean square speed of gas molecules.
Step 2: Recognize that pressure, volume, and temperature are related in a gas (this is described by the ideal gas law).
Step 3: Note that in this scenario, the volume of the gas is kept constant.
Step 4: When pressure increases at constant volume, it means that the gas molecules are colliding with the walls of the container more frequently and with greater force.
Step 5: This increase in pressure indicates that the temperature of the gas must also increase (according to the ideal gas law).
Step 6: Higher temperature means that the gas molecules have more energy and move faster.
Step 7: Since RMS speed is related to the average speed of the gas molecules, an increase in temperature leads to an increase in RMS speed.
