Answer: elastic.
- A elastic
- B inelastic
- C absent
- D sticky
Correct answer: A. elastic
Explanation: Collisions are assumed perfectly elastic, conserving kinetic energy.
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.