Chemistry
Chemistry
Problem
Four separate samples of gas are described below. I. 1.0 mol Ar(g) at 298 K II. 2.0 mol Ar(g) at 298 K III. 1.0 mol Ne(g) at 298 K IV. 1.0 mol Ar(g) at 350 K Which sample contains particles with the greatest average kinetic energy per molecule? a) b) c) d)Intuitive explanation
Average kinetic energy per molecule depends only on temperature, not on the amount of gas or its identity. The key insight is that kinetic energy is fundamentally tied to how fast particles are moving on average, and that motion is driven by temperature alone—doubling the number of moles or changing the gas type doesn't change the average speed of individual particles. Find the sample with the highest temperature, and you've found the greatest average kinetic energy per molecule.
Intuitive explanation
Average kinetic energy per molecule depends only on temperature, not on the amount of gas or its identity. The key insight is that kinetic energy is fundamentally tied to how fast particles are moving on average, and that motion is driven by temperature alone—doubling the number of moles or changing the gas type doesn't change the average speed of individual particles. Find the sample with the highest temperature, and you've found the greatest average kinetic energy per molecule.