Question

Suppose you could suddenly increase the speed of every molecule in a gas by a factor of 2. What would be the effect on the gas?

1) The gas would become hotter
2) The gas would become colder
3) The gas would remain at the same temperature
4) The gas would change state from gas to liquid

Answer 1

If the speed of every molecule in a gas is suddenly increased by a factor of 2, the gas would become hotter.

Step-by-step explanation:

If the speed of every molecule in a gas is suddenly increased by a factor of 2, the gas would become hotter. This is because the average kinetic energy of the gas molecules is directly proportional to their speed (as given by the kinetic energy formula, KE = 0.5mv^2), and increasing the speed of the molecules would result in an increase in their average kinetic energy.

According to Amontons's law, increasing the speed of the gas molecules would result in more frequent and more forceful collisions with the walls of the container, leading to an increase in pressure. This is because the increased average kinetic energy of the gas molecules would cause them to collide with the walls with greater force, resulting in a higher pressure.

Therefore, the correct answer is: 1) The gas would become hotter.