What would happen if a scuba tank (a rigid, sealed gas cylinder) heats up?
A.
The pressure exerted by the gas in the tank would increase.
B.
The size of the gas particles in the tank would increase.
C.
The number of particles in the tank would increase.
D.
The density of the gas in the tank would increase.
A. The pressure exerted by the gas in the tank would increase.
A. The pressure exerted by the gas in the tank would increase.
The correct answer is A. The pressure exerted by the gas in the tank would increase if it heats up.
To explain why, we need to understand the relationship between temperature and pressure as described by Boyle's Law. According to Boyle's Law, the pressure of a gas is inversely proportional to its volume, assuming constant temperature. In other words, if the temperature remains constant, as the volume of a gas decreases, its pressure increases, and vice versa.
When a scuba tank heats up, the temperature of the gas inside the tank increases. As a result, the gas particles gain kinetic energy and move more vigorously. Since the tank is rigid and sealed, the increased motion of the gas particles leads to a higher frequency of collisions with the walls of the tank. These collisions exert a greater force on the walls, resulting in an increase in pressure.
It's important to note that the size of the gas particles (answer B), the number of particles in the tank (answer C), and the density of the gas in the tank (answer D) are not directly affected by heating up the scuba tank. These factors primarily depend on the type of gas and its initial conditions, rather than changes in temperature.