Open Question
Consider three gases all at 298 k: hcl, h2, and o2. list the gases in order of increasing average speed.
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7. Gases
Kinetic Energy of Gases
Multiple Choice
Which of the following gas samples would have the lowest average kinetic energy?
A
Carbon dioxide (CO_2) at 310 K
B
Oxygen gas (O_2) at 273 K
C
Helium gas (He) at 350 K
D
Nitrogen gas (N_2) at 298 K
Verified step by step guidance1
Recall that the average kinetic energy (KE) of gas particles depends only on the temperature of the gas and is given by the formula: \(KE_{avg} = \frac{3}{2} k_B T\), where \(k_B\) is the Boltzmann constant and \(T\) is the absolute temperature in kelvin.
Understand that since \(k_B\) and the factor \(\frac{3}{2}\) are constants, the average kinetic energy is directly proportional to the temperature \(T\) of the gas sample.
Compare the temperatures of the given gas samples: CO\(_2\) at 310 K, O\(_2\) at 273 K, He at 350 K, and N\(_2\) at 298 K.
Identify the gas sample with the lowest temperature, because that sample will have the lowest average kinetic energy according to the proportionality \(KE_{avg} \propto T\).
Conclude that Oxygen gas (O\(_2\)) at 273 K has the lowest average kinetic energy since 273 K is the lowest temperature among the options.
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