Chemistry
Chemistry
Problem
Two sealed, rigid 1.0 L flasks each contain 0.50 mol of the same ideal gas. Flask A is at 298 K, and Flask B is at 596 K. Which of the following best explains why the collision frequency with the container walls is greater in Flask B than in Flask A? a) The higher temperature in Flask B decreases the mean free path, so particles strike the walls more often. b) Because , the higher temperature in Flask B produces a higher pressure, which in turn causes more frequent collisions with the container walls. c) Gas particles in Flask B have higher average speeds, leading to more frequent impacts per unit time. d) Heating the gas in Flask B effectively doubles the amount of gas present, giving more molecules that can collide with the container walls.Intuitive explanation
The key insight is that collision frequency depends on two independent factors: how fast molecules move and how often they encounter walls. Temperature directly controls molecular speed through kinetic energy—doubling increases average speed by a factor of . Since Flask B is twice as hot, its gas molecules move roughly 41% faster, hitting the walls more frequently even though the number of molecules and container volume are identical. This is purely a kinetic effect: hotter gas means faster-moving particles, period.
Intuitive explanation
The key insight is that collision frequency depends on two independent factors: how fast molecules move and how often they encounter walls. Temperature directly controls molecular speed through kinetic energy—doubling increases average speed by a factor of . Since Flask B is twice as hot, its gas molecules move roughly 41% faster, hitting the walls more frequently even though the number of molecules and container volume are identical. This is purely a kinetic effect: hotter gas means faster-moving particles, period.