Answer: Negligible compared to the volume of the container.
- A Equal to the volume of the container during normal conditions
- B Negligible compared to the volume of the container
- C Half the volume of the container as generally observed
- D Twice the volume of the container in typical laboratory settings
Correct answer: B. Negligible compared to the volume of the container
Explanation: One of the key postulates of kinetic theory is that the size of gas molecules is negligible compared to the average distance between them and the volume of the container.
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.