Final answer:
According to Graham's law of effusion, the speed at which a gas travels is inversely proportional to the square root of its molar mass. Given the molar masses of the gases in question, ammonia would be the fastest traveling gas due to its lowest molar mass.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question: Which of the following gases travels the fastest? The gases listed are ammonia, hydrofluoric acid (HF), fluorine (F₂), and carbon monoxide (CO). The speed at which a gas travels, also known as its rate of effusion, is determined by its molar mass, according to Graham's law of effusion. Lighter gases effuse faster than heavier gases. Looking at the molar masses: Ammonia (NH₃) has a molar mass of approximately 17 g/mol, hydrofluoric acid has a molar mass of approximately 20 g/mol, fluorine, a diatomic molecule, has a molar mass of approximately 38 g/mol, and carbon monoxide has a molar mass of approximately 28 g/mol.
Thus, ammonia with the lowest molar mass will travel the fastest among the gases listed.