Question

1. which of these statements are characteristic of matter in the gaseous state?

a. gases fill their containers completely.
b. gases exert pressure.
c. gases have mass.
d. the pressure of a gas is independent of the temperature.
e. gases are compressible.

Explanation:

• Statement a: Gases have no fixed shape or volume, so they expand to fill the entire volume of their container. This is a characteristic of gaseous matter.
• Statement b: Gas molecules are in constant random motion and collide with the walls of the container, exerting pressure. This is a key property of gases.
• Statement c: All matter, including gases, has mass. Gaseous matter is made up of particles (atoms, molecules) which have mass.
• Statement d: According to gas laws (e.g., Gay - Lussac's law), the pressure of a gas is directly proportional to its absolute temperature (at constant volume). So the pressure of a gas is not independent of temperature, and this statement is incorrect.
• Statement e: Gases have large intermolecular spaces, so they can be compressed by reducing these spaces. This is a characteristic property of gaseous matter.

Answer:

a. Gases fill their containers completely, b. Gases exert pressure, c. Gases have mass, e. Gases are compressible.