Answer: Temperature.
- A Pressure
- B Volume
- C Temperature
- D Both pressure and volume
Correct answer: C. Temperature
Explanation: For an ideal gas, internal energy is purely a function of temperature, since intermolecular potential energy is neglected (no intermolecular forces assumed).
Not all gas molecules move at the same speed - the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution shows the spread, with the most probable speed vp slightly less than the average vavg, which is slightly less than the root-mean-square speed vrms used in the pressure formula.
Concept context
Kinetic theory of gases connects molecular motion to pressure and temperature, explaining gas laws, specific heats, and molecular speeds.