Question

select the statement that best predicts what would happen to a canister of oxygen gas if a student increased the heat on a thermostat. note that the amount of gas and volume of the container are both fixed. the pressure of the gas will decrease because there is an indirect relationship between kinetic energy and pressure of a gas. the pressure of the gas will increase because there is an increase in kinetic energy causing more collisions with the sides of the container. the pressure of the gas will not change because the as the kinetic energy increases, the number of collisions will decrease.

Explanation:

When heat is added to a gas in a fixed - volume container (amount of gas and volume are fixed), the temperature of the gas increases. An increase in temperature leads to an increase in the kinetic energy of gas molecules. With higher kinetic energy, the gas molecules move faster and collide more frequently and with greater force against the sides of the container. Pressure is related to the force of molecular collisions per unit area. So, the pressure of the gas will increase.

• The first option is wrong because there is a direct relationship (not indirect) between kinetic energy (related to temperature) and pressure for a gas at constant volume. As kinetic energy (temperature) increases, pressure increases.
• The third option is wrong because as kinetic energy increases, the number of collisions (and their force) increases, which should lead to an increase in pressure, not a situation where pressure does not change.

Answer:

The pressure of the gas will increase because there is an increase in kinetic energy causing more collisions with the sides of the container.