Final answer:
The root-mean-square speed of CO at 113 °C would increase because the speed is proportional to the square root of the temperature in Kelvin.
Step-by-step explanation:
The root-mean-square speed of CO (carbon monoxide) at 113 °C is inquired about. According to kinetic molecular theory, the root-mean-square speed (urms) is proportional to the square root of the temperature (in Kelvin) and is expressed by the equation urms = √(3kT/m), where k is the Boltzmann constant and m is the mass of a single molecule of the gas.
Therefore, when the temperature increases, the average kinetic energy of the gas molecules also increases, as does the root-mean-square speed. Given that 113 °C is an increase in temperature from any baseline below it, the root-mean-square speed of CO would increase.
The root-mean-square speed of CO at 113 °C is unchanged (option C). According to the kinetic theory of gases, the average kinetic energy of gas molecules is directly proportional to the temperature. Therefore, when the temperature increases, the average kinetic energy of the molecules increases.
However, the root-mean-square speed, which represents the average speed of gas molecules, remains the same because it is determined by the gas's temperature and mass, both of which are constant in this case.