Visualizing the Chemistry of Climate Change (VC3)

Your Turn

An understanding of kinetic molecular theory is crucial to developing an understanding of the interaction between atmospheric gases and the temperature of the atmosphere, as gases regulate Earth's energy balance. Answer the following questions to test your understanding of kinetic molecular theory.

In relation to the behavior of gases, what are the three basic premises of kinetic molecular theory?

Click here to show answer

Kinetic molecular theory's three basic premises regarding gases are:

Gases consist of tiny particles which are, on average, very far from one another.
Gas particles are in continuous and random motion. The particles move in straight lines and constantly collide with each other and with the walls of the container.
The temperature of a gas sample is proportional to the average kinetic energy of the gas particles.

As the temperature of a gas sample increases, does the speed at which the particles move increase, decrease, or remain the same?

Click here to show answer

The speed of the particles increases.

According to the kinetic molecular theory, what is pressure?

Click here to show answer

In terms of kinetic molecular theory, pressure is the number of collisions between gas molecules and the walls of the container, combined with the average force of these collisions.

How does the kinetic molecular theory explain why a gas sample has the same volume as the sample container?

Click here to show answer

According to the kinetic molecular theory, gas particles are in constant motion. Because gas particles are constantly moving, they move into every part of the container so that the volume of the container becomes the volume of the gas sample.