Question

Does helium have more thermal energy, less thermal energy, or the same amount of thermal energy as argon?

1) More thermal energy
2) Less thermal energy
3) Same amount of thermal energy

Answer 1

Helium has more thermal energy than argon when comparing equal masses at the same temperature, because helium's lower mass results in higher particle speeds and kinetic energy. so, option 1 is the correct answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

The amount of thermal energy in a gas under identical conditions depends on its temperature and mass. At the same temperature and volume, helium and argon would have different amounts of thermal energy because they have different atomic masses. Helium, which has a lower atomic mass than argon, will have a higher average kinetic energy per particle at the same temperature. However, when comparing equal masses of helium and argon, helium will have more thermal energy because lighter particles at the same temperature have higher speeds, leading to more kinetic energy.

Helium and argon are both noble gases, but they have different atomic masses. Helium has a lower atomic mass than argon, which means that helium atoms have higher average kinetic energy compared to argon atoms at the same temperature. Therefore, helium has more thermal energy than argon.