The pressure on the windows was generated by air pushing on the windows, which is the average _____ the air molecules are applying over the surface area of the glass.

impulse or force

Force

To solve this question, we need to determine the missing word that describes the pressure the air molecules are applying over the surface area of the glass.

Pressure is defined as the force per unit area. It is calculated by dividing the force exerted on an object by the area over which the force is distributed.

In this case, the force is generated by air molecules pushing on the windows, and the area is the surface area of the glass. Therefore, the missing word should describe the force per unit area, or how the air molecules exert pressure on the windows.

The term that fits this description is "the average pressure." Average pressure represents the force per unit area exerted by the air molecules on the surface of the glass.