Question

what causes pressure inside an inflated soccer ball?

a. the gas molecules push against the surface of the ball as they roll past one another.

b. the gas molecules vibrate in place and collide with one another.

c. the gas molecules move rapidly and collide with the surface of the ball.

d. the gas molecules become larger to fill the space inside the ball.

Explanation:

To determine the cause of pressure inside an inflated soccer ball, we analyze each option:

• Option A: Gas molecules in a ball don't "roll past one another" to cause pressure; pressure comes from collisions with the ball's surface, not this type of motion.
• Option B: Vibrating in place and colliding with each other describes intermolecular collisions, not the collisions with the ball's surface that create pressure.
• Option C: Gas molecules move rapidly (due to kinetic energy) and collide with the surface of the ball. Each collision exerts a force, and the sum of these forces per unit area is pressure. This matches the kinetic theory of gases explanation for gas pressure.
• Option D: Gas molecules do not become larger to fill space; they move to fill the space, and pressure comes from collisions, not molecular size increase.

Answer:

C. The gas molecules move rapidly and collide with the surface of the ball.