Chapter 5: Problem 91
A gas spreads more rapidly through a room when (1) the gas is of higher molecular weight (2) the gas is made of monoatomic molecules (3) the room temperature is high compared to when it is low (4) the room temperature is low compared to when it is high
Short Answer
Expert verified
The gas spreads more rapidly through a room when the room temperature is high.
Step by step solution
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
molecular weight
Molecular weight, or molecular mass, is a measure of how much a molecule weighs. It plays a crucial role in the behavior of gases. This is because gases with lower molecular weights diffuse faster than those with higher molecular weights. Lower molecular weight means less mass, leading to faster movement and quicker spreading of gas molecules.
When comparing gases of different molecular weights, the one with the lighter mass will always spread more rapidly. Think of it this way: lighter molecules can move more quickly and bump into each other more often, making them spread out faster in a given space. For students, it's essential to understand that the rate of diffusion is inversely proportional to the square root of the molecular weight. So, if you have a gas with a higher molecular weight, expect it to diffuse more slowly. This concept was central to eliminating option (1) in our exercise.
When comparing gases of different molecular weights, the one with the lighter mass will always spread more rapidly. Think of it this way: lighter molecules can move more quickly and bump into each other more often, making them spread out faster in a given space. For students, it's essential to understand that the rate of diffusion is inversely proportional to the square root of the molecular weight. So, if you have a gas with a higher molecular weight, expect it to diffuse more slowly. This concept was central to eliminating option (1) in our exercise.
molecular structure
The molecular structure of a gas significantly affects its diffusion rate. Gases can be monoatomic (single atoms) or polyatomic (molecules made of multiple atoms).
Monoatomic gases, such as noble gases like helium or argon, generally diffuse faster than polyatomic gases. This is because monoatomic molecules are smaller and less complex, allowing them to move without getting entangled with one another. Think of monoatomic gases as small, nimble balls that can swiftly navigate a crowded room.
On the other hand, polyatomic molecules, like oxygen or nitrogen, are larger and more complex in structure. They have more atoms connected together, making them move slower and diffuse less rapidly. Therefore, in the context of the exercise, we observed that monoatomic gases (option 2) could spread faster, though temperature effects needed consideration as well.
Monoatomic gases, such as noble gases like helium or argon, generally diffuse faster than polyatomic gases. This is because monoatomic molecules are smaller and less complex, allowing them to move without getting entangled with one another. Think of monoatomic gases as small, nimble balls that can swiftly navigate a crowded room.
On the other hand, polyatomic molecules, like oxygen or nitrogen, are larger and more complex in structure. They have more atoms connected together, making them move slower and diffuse less rapidly. Therefore, in the context of the exercise, we observed that monoatomic gases (option 2) could spread faster, though temperature effects needed consideration as well.
temperature effect
Temperature has a profound effect on the rate at which gas molecules spread. When the temperature in a room is high, the gas molecules possess more kinetic energy. This increased energy makes them move faster, leading to quicker diffusion.
Higher temperatures amplify the motion of gas molecules by providing them with more energy. Picture molecules at higher temperatures bouncing around more vigorously, spreading through the space more swiftly.
Conversely, at lower temperatures, gas molecules have less kinetic energy. They move more slowly and take longer to spread out. Imagine a colder room where molecules are sluggish and slow due to lack of energy, leading to slower diffusion. Therefore, in our step-by-step solution, we determined that gas spreads more rapidly in a high-temperature room (option 3) compared to a low-temperature one (option 4).
Understanding the temperature effect can help students grasp how energy impacts molecular motion and diffusion rates effectively.
Higher temperatures amplify the motion of gas molecules by providing them with more energy. Picture molecules at higher temperatures bouncing around more vigorously, spreading through the space more swiftly.
Conversely, at lower temperatures, gas molecules have less kinetic energy. They move more slowly and take longer to spread out. Imagine a colder room where molecules are sluggish and slow due to lack of energy, leading to slower diffusion. Therefore, in our step-by-step solution, we determined that gas spreads more rapidly in a high-temperature room (option 3) compared to a low-temperature one (option 4).
Understanding the temperature effect can help students grasp how energy impacts molecular motion and diffusion rates effectively.
